Moonlit Mist
by panini999
Summary: Mary-Lynette has been waiting for her knight for one whole year... and she's sick of it. She decides to take the matter into her own hands, she decides to find him herself...
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: no ownership and no copyright infringement intended....**

**I plan on continuing this particular series, i'm sure i will since it's almost summer =D yay!!! Rate/Review/Fave it will be greatly appreciated and will help boost my creative thinking ;)**

**Prologue**

Mary-Lynette forced the brush down her tangled, midnight-black mess of hair. She scowled at the reflection on the crystal-clear mirror in front of her; she didn't have much light to see with though, just her alarm clock which, right now glowed bright green at the arrival of 6 a.m. sharp. Usually Mary-Lynette wouldn't even have dared to wake this early; the morning sun just wasn't her cup of tea. She preferred the moon and the stars, the nebulae and the galaxies; she was a night person, after all.

It only took Mary-Lynette a moment to realize her mistake. No. She wasn't a night person, she was just an eighteen year old girl who just happened to love the night, but she in no way belonged to it. She saw firsthand what it took to be a Night person last year, and it scared her. No, that's a lie, it _terrified_ her. After what happened with Jeremy—after what she did… She couldn't do it, she just couldn't do it. Mary-Lynette couldn't continue living that way; she couldn't lose her humanity, not even for _him._ At least that was what she thought last year… 365 days of thought is enough to waver even the strongest of iron wills. To make it frank, Mary-Lynette wasn't so sure of herself anymore.

_All right,_ she thought_, enough of that_. Mary-Lynette re-busied herself with her hair. She wanted to be as presentable as possible for the task ahead of her, if she was lucky she'd get out of this scenario alive with all her limbs intact that is.

Although Mary-Lynette hoped that she wouldn't make a habit out of it, she checked out her profile in the mirror… again. The pristine sheen of the glass revealed a shiny haired brunette with blue eyes as piercing as they were before any of the supernatural happened. Surely she didn't look any different, aside from the height and more mature features she had gained in a year's time of course; Mary-Lynette has been working her butt off for that exact result. No one had to suffer as much as she did, Mary-Lynette thought, she didn't have the right to make everybody miserable just because she was, so she had to pretend that _he_ had no effect on her, pretend that _he_ wasn't worth her longing.

And that's just what she did this whole year. Pretend.

The dark-haired beauty in front of her let out a big sigh as she reminisced about the past months. This year was purely hell for her, no doubt. Waiting and hoping but never getting an answer, not even one damn phone call. Mary-Lynette thought that she deserved some kind of indication of what he was up to, but no. Nothing.

And that meant that she only had two options, "Plan A" was what she had been doing so far, waiting the way a helpless damsel in distress would wait for her knight in shining armor. And she was sick of it. So she was moving on to "Plan B": find Ash herself. As simple as that. Then, when she does find him, she was going to give him a good kick on the shin for everything he did to her, he deserved it. And then she'll… she'll… Mary-Lynette snapped herself back to reality fast. She couldn't afford to be apathetic now. To stop herself from fantasizing about _him_, Mary-Lynette went over her plan, making sure she had everything she needed for her trip.

The emergency backpack Mary-Lynette had dug up was full of all the necessities. Food, water, flashlights, clothes, a note-pad, some writing materials, and even a "tent-in-a-bottle", Mary-Lynette had no idea where this journey was going to take her. Looking at the grungy, brown texture of it, a person would think that it was just an ordinary school backpack, but the insides could mean life or death for Mary-Lynette in the normal world. Mary-Lynette involuntarily snorted at the word. If anything, she was practical, so Mary-Lynette had added a few more much needed items: a wooden spear she sharpened herself and her trusty silver dagger. She desperately hoped she wouldn't have to use either.

Mary-Lynette did another one-over, and then another. That was it, she was all set. She took in a deep breath, picked up her trusty backpack, and tiptoed towards her bedside window. Mary-Lynette wasn't stupid, she wasn't going to chance waking her little brother up and besides there was a sturdy spruce tree outside, she was sure it would hold her weight long enough for her to drop down.

The window eased open without a sound, much to Mary-Lynette's relief, and a trusty-looking branch hung just beside it. It was a thick one, so she would be able to walk on it no problem. Mary-Lynette looked down to judge the distance… and realized something.

As quietly as before, she closed the window, and went back to her closet. No way in earth, heaven, or hell was Mary-Lynette going to jump out of her window and go on a journey to find her soulmate in her "starry night" pajamas and moon shaped slippers. She wasn't _that_ crazy.

**It's short but it's a prologue... geez... review pls! ;)**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Okay so the plotline is mine and i may add some characters that are purley from me along the way too, but other than that, everything else is from the wonderful LJ Smith =D This one is pretty long, took me a day and a half to make it, enjoy!!!! O and thx 4 all the supportive reviews, made my day!! :) RATE/REVIEW/FAVE pls!!!!!! :}

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**Chapter 1

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_**Caw! Caw!Caw!**_

"Shut up!" Mary-Lynette yelled at the black form above her. It was the first time she's ever lost her temper with an animal before, but this particular bird was dangerously close to getting a stick pelted at it.

The jet-black shadow was perched on a branch a few feet from her, watching her with onyx colored eyes. Mary-Lynette didn't know why, but she had this paranoid feeling that it was watching her, but what did she know? She wasn't an expert on creepy birds, and besides she had other problems at hand. The spruce wasn't as easy to climb as she thought; she'd been dropping from branch to branch for the last fifteen minutes. If she kept going this slow she'd be caught for sure, a scenario Mary-Lynette really wanted to avoid.

_**Caw! Caw! Caw!**_

Mary-Lynette surveyed her surroundings, ignoring the irritating sound. The branches near her were all too thin to hold both her weight and her bag's, so she looked farther down, and found the perfect landing. Carefully, she edged her foot off her current resting spot. And then she fell.

Or rather, dropped, down to her destination, another branch. She landed cleanly, expertly; you'd think Mary-Lynette had been doing this her whole life. She lifted herself and her bag on to her new branch, and, thankfully, it didn't even creak on its newfound load. When she got into an arguably comfy sitting position Mary-Lynette looked around her surroundings again. And found her in a slight problem.

_**Caw! Caw! Caw!**_

The branches were too thin again, so she looked farther. Still nothing. One branch, just one more branch and she'll be close enough to the ground to jump. Her eyes traveled further down, and found a promising bough, but…

_**Caw! Caw! Caw!**_

With resigned frustration, Mary-Lynette tested her weight on her current branch. She shifted a bit then looked back down on her next target, a bough twice the size of her body. It looked good enough; the only problem was the drop, nine feet at least. She might be able to make it but it'd hurt. A lot. A couple of prickling branches stood between her and her goal, if she jumped there was no doubt she would get scraped and cut. Sure, she had a first aid kit in her backpa— an idea hit her full force.

_**Caw!**_

Of course! Why hadn't she thought of it before? _Stupid, stupid, stupid._ Mary-Lynette cautiously shrugged off her backpack, praying that it was in there. She unzipped the main compartment, grabbed her mini-flashlight from her jean pocket and began rummaging through her supplies.

The miniscule light was enough to see everything in a 3-feet radius clearly and, although Mary-Lynette's main focus was to find a certain item, a part of her brain couldn't resist double-checking her situation. A collection of branches and leaves surrounded her completely, some crooked and thin, others thick and stiff. Other than that she saw nothing, not even the misty fog of the coming morning. _It must be pretty thick,_she thought. That assumption should have helped her; it meant that no one outside would see the tiny glow her flashlight gave off. She wasn't claustrophobic, that was Mark, so why did she feel so paranoid being surrounded?

Creepy crawlies climbed on to her jeans, some even clung to her black jacket while she continued looking. She shifted through food carriers, pencils, and other necessities when she found it. Mentally, Mary-Lynette gave herself a hearty pat in the back for remembering to bring it. A three-foot, heavily knotted rope.

Flashlight placed casually between her teeth, Mary-Lynette got to work. Her hands were practically a blur as she attempted to tie a navy-worth knot. It was when she was testing her newly made bow when she realized the problem. It wouldn't reach the branch. There would be at least a distance of six feet when she reaches the end of the rope. She immediately shrugged off the worry, she'd be able to make a six-foot drop, considering the other drops she made and, as for the rope, she'd just get another one the first chance she gets.

When she made sure the knot was tight enough, Mary-Lynette rubbed her hands together, clung to the rope, and let her feet slip from under her. As she started to climb down Mary-Lynette couldn't suppress the twinge of irony. _And Rapunzel climbed down from the imprisoned tower to save her Prince Charming._ She bit back a giggle.

Moments later she could feel the end of the rope between her two feet; she lowered herself the rest of the way and felt open air between her legs. She chanced a look down. Then she smiled. A six-foot drop, she was right about that but she hadn't calculated her height. With her 5"4' height the drop wasn't even a foot. _Easy-peasy_, she thought. Mary-Lynette looked back down to recalculate the drop and decided on her strategy, she would just swing a bit to get her feet out f the way and then she'd let go. She'd free-fall with her hands ready, and then she would grab the branch and use the momentum to finally get to the ground. Mary-Lynette let herself glow with the pride of a job well-done for a moment, and then she let go of the rope, expecting to feel the rough wood beneath her feet.

But then she missed.

It happened in slow motion for her, like in those cheesy action movies Mark always watched. Mary-Lynette felt the wind rush up on her and felt her hands cup in preparation. She felt her backpack jump with the pressure and her legs going numb with exertion, she even felt the sting of a lucky fork cutting her right arm, but what she didn't feel was the branch she was aiming for. With horror-filled eyes she watched the branch fly by; her hands missing the target by mere inches. And then she was falling.

Somehow, she twisted herself in the air, an instinct perhaps, and landed butt-first on Claudine's soft flower beds. _Thank god they weren't roses,_ Mary-Lynette thought dazedly. Claudine, didn't like roses, she always said they were dangerous for their thorns. She praised the Lord for her step-mom's overactive caution. The soil and plants were moist with morning dew and her hindquarters hurt like hell but otherwise, it was comfy. Mary-Lynette could sleep like this. With her head resting on her bulky backpack and her feet lounging on a couple of daisies, plus it was still dark enough that no passer-by would notice her there. The fall had taken quite a lot, if not all, of her energy and Mary-Lynette felt that she deserved to entitle herself to a quick rest. She'd just close her eyes for a minute… just a minute…

"And just what do you think you're doing?"

The nagging question came from a few feet away, coming down on her bliss filled moment like freezing water. It sounded soft and dispassionate, almost uncaring, but Mary-Lynette knew enough of that voice to hear the deadly suspicion and burning curiosity hidden behind it. Mary-Lynette shut her eyes tighter; hoping with everything she's got that the eerily familiar voice would just go away, all she wanted was sleep.

"Mary-Lynette Carter," the voice said, still soft. Mary-Lynette didn't hear any footsteps, but she was sure the voice was closer now. "Don't make me drag the answers out of you; you know how much I enjoy that."

When she didn't reply, Mary-Lynette heard the voice sigh and back away. "All right then Mare, have it your way. But the sun's coming up soon and I bet Claudine is going to wonder what happened to her gardenias." The sound of jeans scraping the soil entered Mary-Lynette's brain and then she felt another person sit down beside her, regardless of the mushy dirt. That should have given her some clue on who the person was but she was just so darn tired… she felt her consciousness slipping…

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_**Caw! Caw! Caw!**_

_What's that? _Mary-Lynette's sleep induced brain thought.

_**Caw! Caw! Caw!**_

_Shut it up… please…_

_**Caw!**_

_Sounds like a raven… _she thought. _Raven… branch… falling…_

Mary-Lynette's brain snapped back to reality. She remembered everything now, but… What had happened then? Were any of her limbs broken? How long was she out? Well, there was one way to find out. Slowly, she opened her eyes, afraid of what she might find, maybe a pool of blood from a gash the tree had given her from her fall, or worse. Claudine asking what happened to her precious flowers.

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Mary-Lynette felt an odd pressure on her shoulders. "Are you awake now?"

Someone was grabbing her, shaking her actually, if she wasn't so dazed Mary-Lynette would have been able to figure out who it was. It was on the tip of her tongue. Abruptly, her eyes lost the remaining fogginess of slumber and she found herself staring into fierce, impatient, hawk-like eyes.

"Kestrel?" she mumbled and then she put in a little more annoyance in her voice, Kestrel's hold really did hurt. "What are you doing?"

The beautiful, yellow-eyed vampire stopped shaking her immediately and settled back onto her lounging position opposite of Mary-Lynette. "Good morning to you too, sunshine."

Dimly, Mary-Lynette realized that they weren't on the flower beds anymore; they were at the sisters' place. There was the familiar old-fashioned furniture and floorboard, even the odd mixed smell of oatmeal cookies and goat was pungent. Mary-Lynette also realized that she was laying down on the floral-printed couch, with Kestrel on the matching armchair beside her, newspaper in one hand and a pencil in the other. Still a bit dazed, it took her a few moments to let Kestrel's sarcastic remark set in.

"Did you say it was morning?" she asked. If it was morning, then Mary-Lynette was in trouble. Everything that she did so far would have been for nothing. Mary-Lynette shut her eyes; she'd have to do it all over again tonight. Maybe she should wake up earlier this time, and bring more rope and—

"The sun's shining isn't it?" Kestrel's tone was lilting, trying to tease the answers out of Mary-Lynette's mind, no doubt.

"How—how long was I out?"

"About an hour or two." Kestrel shrugged her perfectly tanned shoulders. "I didn't think counting minutes mattered as much as getting you someplace warm and cozy" Another shrug. "Thought that would deserve a thank-you or something."

Mary-Lynette sighed. She didn't have time for this right now; she had to figure out if she had enough time to continue her plans. But first—

"Sorry Kestrel, but I— I have to go back to—um—Mark." The couch groaned as she prepared to get up. "He has a—um—doctor's appointment today, and we really shouldn't be late."

Kestrel didn't even look up from the article. "Mark's out on a morning walk with Jade. He seemed just fine a few minutes ago."

"Oh…" Mary-Lynette settled back down on the sofa. Crap... if Mark had seen her... then, what now?

Then, as if reading her mind, Kestrel responded. "Don't worry he didn't see you, I put you in the upstairs bedroom when he came over, Rowan doesn't know either, she's been out hunting. Jade saw you though, but she was too busy playing with Tiggy to mention it to your brother or my other sister." Golden eyes filled with deadly amusement met hers. "Does _that_ deserve a thank-you?"

A more genuine smile lit up Mary-Lynette's face. Her plan could still work.

"Thank you Kestrel, really. But I do have to go." Mary-Lynette felt cold wood beneath her sneakers. "Good bye."

She made it all the way to the doorway when Kestrel's voice rang out, bemused yet passive at the same time. "Aren't you forgetting something?"

Confused, Mary-Lynette turned back, and saw Kestrel lightly fingering her brown, grungy backpack. When she didn't say anything Kestrel rolled her eyes and pointed with her pencil. "Just thought you might need it for, you know whatever it is you're doing."

"Um… I uh—thanks" Mary-Lynette made her way towards the blond 18 year old as carefully as she would have if she was approaching a land mine. This was probably more dangerous. It was just as she was shrugging on her bag when Kestrel tore off a big piece of the newspaper.

"Here." She said. Mary-Lynette just stared at the piece of paper dumbfounded. That earned another annoyed sigh from Kestrel.

"Damn it Mare, I'm getting tired of doing all the talking here. Now take it." She practically shoved the paper into Mary-Lynette's hand. When she opened it she found a hastily written, yet still elegant, list of directions and phone numbers. There had to be at least a hundred addresses in this. And here she thought Kestrel was just reading the comics.

"What—what's this?"

"It's the places you should check out and the people you should call if you're in trouble." She turned the newspaper page to the crossword puzzle. "I circled the places where Ash might be staying, there's about a dozen Circle Daybreak facilities nation-wide. Maybe more." A pause and then she looked up. "But you don't even know what that is do you?"

Mary-Lynette managed a weak "No."

"It's an organization that helps people like you, you know, with the soulmate thing. That and something about saving the world, I'm not that close to it so I don't know much about it. I mean I don't have a soulmate like you do, do I?" Was it just Mary-Lynette or did she see something like longing in those liquid caramel eyes? It was gone before she could grab a hold of it, the indifferent look was back.

"Anyways, the locations are all there and you should try calling the numbers if you need any help. There's Lord Thierry, Lady Hannah, even some of our relatives are on there, I'm sure they wouldn't mind giving you some favors." Kestrel tapped the end of the pencil to her left cheek. "You wouldn't happen to know a 9-letter word for 'invent' would you? It's the last word I need for this stupid cross— WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

Mary-Lynette didn't know Kestrel could screech that high, she barley screeched at all, but then again she was also sure that Kestrel never got a bear hug. Not even Jade would be so careless, what Mary-Lynette was doing was practically suicide. But she didn't care. She couldn't thank Kestrel enough for this.

"Thank you, thank you _so_ much Kestrel!" Mary-Lynette ignored the first surprisingly weak attempts to pry her off. "You don't know how much this means. I—if there's anything that I can do—"

"Three things." Kestrel said. It was also a first for Mary-Lynette to hear her sound so uncomfortable. One last vampire-tug was enough to escape Mary-Lynette's surprise attack, and then Kestrel held up her index finger. "One, never do that again."

"Understood."

"Two, make sure you keep in touch and call as soon as you get a lead on your stray soulmate."

"Agreed."

"And three," Kestrel paused, three fingers wiggling in the air, molten gold eyes meeting Mary-Lynette's with reluctant respect and worry. "Be careful, all right? Because if you get hurt in any way Ash will--and you better believe me when I tell you this--he will personally kick mine and my sisters' asses for not protecting you and, in turn, I _will_ kick _yours_."

Mary-Lynette was on the verge of tears. She wasn't one to cry over sappy stuff like this, but to see Kestrel actually care _and_ still have enough energy to threaten her, well, it was enough for a full-blown breakdown.

"I have no doubt you will, Kestrel."

"What—?" Kestrel stared at the crystal drops in Mary-Lynette's eyes with bewilderment. "You're not—you're not crying are you?"

Mary-Lynette reached up to wipe away any trace of her tears. "No."

A sigh. "Don't worry, kid, you'll be fine. You're a smart girl Mare, I'm sure you'll be able to find that sleaze ball of a brother o' mine." She turned back her ocher eyes to the unfinished crossword puzzle. "9 letter word for 'invent'… hmm…"

That was probably the closest thing to 'good-bye' Mary-Lynette would ever get from Kestrel. She figured it was time to leave. But then she remembered.

"Kestrel? One more thing... What are you going to tell the others?" If Kestrel told them the truth all hell would break loose, Rowan would scold Kestrel for being so irresponsible, Jade would be depressed from being left out, and Mark would probably have an asthmatic attack. But if she didn't tell them and say that Mary-Lynette Carter, princess of practicality, just disappeared then they wouldn't possibly believe it.

She didn't glance up from the puzzle. "Don't worry, I'll think of something."

"But you're going to have to formulate a plan soon I mean—"

"'Formulate'! That's it!" Kestrel scribbled on the paper. "Another puzzle solved." Then she looked up and smiled. She actually _smiled_. "And I told you, Mare, you worry too much. I got it." She nodded towards the door. "Now go on. Ash is waiting."

That last sentence was enough to have Mary-Lynette sprint towards the door, backpack in tow. She gave one last thank-you glance to Kestrel and jogged down the porch steps, and then she turned towards the path that'll take her to her first destination, the airport. And then she'd be on her way to the most bolded address on the list. Las Vegas, Nevada.

And for once, she didn't look back.

Meanwhile in one of the tall trees behind her, unknown to Mary-Lynette, an inky form detached itself from the rest of the shadows and ruffled its feathers. In an instant the raven was soaring into the sky, deadly and majestic all at once, watching the dark-haired girl with vigilant, obsidian eyes.

**Like it? Love it? Hate it? TELL ME IN A REVIEW!!!! I'm almost done with seventh grade and summer's coming so i should be able to complete this. :} hurray!!!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: No ownership except for the plot line, and some new characters :} trust me, i'm going to add more characters to the beloved Night World cast :) Review/Rate/Fave do watever, it makes me happy. =D Really, wenever i get a review i'm so happy i add more to the current chap i'm working on. So u can help by reviewing. ANd it's not blackmail, i swear. *mwa ha ha ha*:P allrighty read on....**

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**Chapter 3**

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The golden haired vampire sat, fingers crossed, clutching the phone to her ear. It was late at night, probably even morning, Kestrel didn't know. Nor did she care. All she cared about was reaching him in time.

It was probably the 8th time she had tried to call Ash and she was actually _scared_. Scared that she'd be too late. But still, it's been how long since she contacted him? A whole year. Rowan was the only one in the family that knew his exact location but she wasn't going to go to her for this. Absolutely _no one_ was going to know about this. So here she was, calling blindly until she got the right number, his cell phone of course. Kestrel hadn't lied to Mary-Lynette; she wasn't that close to the Daybreak family. At least, she hadn't planned to be.

The phone reached a voice mail and Kestrel swore. She ended the call and repeated the process.

The day had been a long one for her. First, making sure Jade didn't give up any more information by wiping just a teensy bit of her memory. Yes, Kestrel was well aware of the rules Rowan had made last year and she was guilt-ridden in breaking them. But she had had no choice.

Then she had to control Claudine's mind in front of Rowan herself. It had taken all of Kestrel's power to make sure Claudine said the right things to her tentative sister while simultaneously acting inconspicuous herself. It was tiring work all right, and she used what was left of her depleting energy by blocking what she was doing from Rowan. If she was right, her usual keen-eyed sister didn't suspect a thing. Kestrel's story of Mare visiting a sick relative had checked out.

"_I'm sorry, but the person you are trying to reach isn't available right now. Please leave a message after the 'beep'."_

The beep that came afterwards had Kestrel throwing a string of profanity. The _one_ time that she needed help from her brother and he wasn't answering his own _phone_? _That sleazy son of a werewolf._ When she managed to get a grip on her temper Kestrel resumed her useless dialing.

As the phone began to ring Kestrel took to account what had happened. It was a few hours ago, when she was coming home from "re-filling" her energy, a.k.a. hunting cute little woodland creatures. The woods were dark but that didn't bother her, she was a vampire and had night vision after all. Then she figured out that Ash was going on a life-threatening mission… _right now!_Yes, they weren't that close, but Kestrel believed that he owed his family _some_ kind of explanation before unknowingly committing suicide. And, to top it all off, she learned all this from—

_Tap. Tap._

If she was a normal girl, Kestrel would have been scared and pictures of bogeymen and, Kestrel chuckled, _vampires _would have crossed her mind. But she wasn't and she herself knew what monsters _really_ looked like. She also knew that someone was knocking. But on the window?

Kestrel easily shifted her position on the sofa, cordless phone in hand, and swept away the curtains from a nearby window to gaze out into the black night.

It was raining. Hard. The window looked like it was being pelted by millions of tiny ice crystals. Kestrel wouldn't be surprised if there was a lightning storm nearby. But, other than that, there wasn't a soul in sight. She replaced the curtains and lay back down on the couch.

The phone was still ringing and, although Kestrel was certain she heard a knock; she wasn't upset or blowing her top off about it. She had more important things to do than hunt down a couple of idiots throwing rocks at her window. With any luck they'd be soaking wet in the next few minutes.

Another voice mail. Another collection of curses.

_That's it then, _Kestrel thought as she set the phone down. _I'm too late._

She dropped her face into her hands. She could've made everything so much easier for Mare and herself for that matter, if only she found out Ash's number sooner, if only that slob would pick up his damn phone once in a while. She had already tried calling others before Ash, all the Daybreak members she knew. None picked up. So now Ash, Mare, and maybe even Kestrel herself, were doomed.

Nothing could make this worse.

_Tap. Tap._

Kestrel groaned. If they knocked any louder Rowan and Jade would get even more suspicious. Actually, now that Kestrel thought about it, it was pretty odd that they weren't asking her any questions yet. They should've noticed _something_ by now.

_Tap. Tap._

"Damn kids." Kestrel mumbled as she struggled to regain her bearings. Those knuckleheads had better run fast, she wasn't exactly in a good mood right now and she hadn't had a human blood meal in so long. Sure, she knew that was a big no-no but she already broke the other rules, might as well enjoy the rest of her crappy night—

_Caw!_

Her hand froze on the curtains. No. There is no freaking way that _he_ could have followed her back here. That was _impossible. _She told him to stay away, she _told _him—Kestrel sucked in a deep breath and berated herself. Since when was she, the hawk-eyed huntress, _scared_? She could paralyze her prey in one look, so this should be nothing to her.

But it was, oh man was it ever.

_Stop that._ If he was here, then that's that. No use sniveling like a little wimp. She took in another deep breath. All right well, there was only one way to find out if she was right.

She opened the window.

For a moment there was no one there. Just her and the seemingly endless, bleak rain. But then lightning struck and a shadow appeared on the window sill and Kestrel barley managed to beat down the swelling ball of panic inside her. Because, in that flash, Kestrel saw a shadow with two piercing eyes as dark as onyx. Another flicker of blinding light was enough to see the rest, a beak built for tearing and a sleek inky body made for flying.

Kestrels thumping heart seemed to be as loud as the booming thunder.

The raven tapped softly once more on the glass and cocked its head to the side. As if it was waiting for some kind of invitation.

Kestrel just smiled ironically while the remaining bits of her energy fell like a line of dominoes.

_Shit._

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"You all right there, Ash?"

The drowsy vampire looked up, startled. "Hmm?"

The fluffed up blond in front of him frowned in concern "It's just that, you look out of it today." The girl's cornflower blue eyes were tender when she said this, sincere. It was a stark contrast from the all-black jumpsuit she wore. Ash marveled on how this fragile child managed to be an honorary vampire hunter.

Another girl beside her, wearing the same attire, snorted. "He's always out of it Daphne, doesn't seem like much of a difference to me." Her emerald eyes took the bite out of her words though; Ash knew for a fact that she pitied him. Almost everybody with a soulmate did but, pity aside, that didn't mean she liked him. "But you do have to snap out of it soon, Ash. Because, in case you haven't noticed, we aren't on a jet plane for nothing."

He sighed. "Well Rashel, my favorite vampire huntress, in case _you_ haven't noticed its four a.m. in the morning." Ash folded his arms across his chest, trying to re-awaken his old sarcastic self. "I think I've earned the right to be exhausted, considering the fact that _I_ just came back from a mission." He could picture his eyes changing into a teasing, mocking color. Hazel probably. "One that "The Cat" herself chickened out of."

Rashel Jordan's eyes sparked defensively, violently. "Daphne was in training. I had to help her get ready."

Ash shrugged. "Whatever you say, _kitten_."

Daphne had to hold Rashel back. The black-haired lass certainly was a handful. Ash thought. He was about to comment on that when a boy on Ash's left spoke up. "But really Ash, what's wrong?" This one had striking blond hair and eyes a shade darker than Rashel's. Ash had an odd sense of familiarity.

"I'm sorry," he began, turning his face as to see the boy clearly. "Do I know you?"

The blonde rolled his eyes, apparently this wasn't the first time Ash forgot his name. "I'll give you a hint. You tried to rape my sister, remember?"

A sense of shame flooded over Ash. _Now_ he remembered. He had to apologize, somehow, but instead the wittiest answer he could come up with was:

"Oh… right. You've got the same eyes…"

Phillip North, that's his name, seemed to take pity on him then too. _Great._ Ash thought. _Just great._

Feeling a bit awkward, Ash used the excuse of looking around to avoid any more conversation. Rashel was right about where they were, in one of Lord Thierry's private jets. It was late last night, or rather this morning, when they were called in for duty. Emergency duty. Ash already lost his cell phone in his hurry to come.

A dragon was spotted in Massachusetts.

Now, that doesn't happen often. Some Daybreakers in Boston saw the monstrosity and contacted Thierry right away; their exact words were _"Help! Dragon! Four horns! Drago—"And_ that was it, Ash didn't want to know what happened after that.

They had watched the news to get an idea on what they were up against before setting forth on the assignment. The curious thing was that the humans don't seem to see it; the newscaster regarded it as some freak hurricane that caused the turbulent winds and crumbling buildings. A Daybreak agent back at base, Thea, had suggested that a bunch of Midnight witches put a camouflage hex on it, so the humans wouldn't see the sky-high monster destroying their city.

But they would certainly see the Daybreak agents.

It was going to be a tough one. That was certain. Ash looked at the faces of his comrades. They were a good pack, he guessed. The seven of them. Two vampire hunters, two witches, one lamia, one vampire, and a shape-shifter. They should be able to beat it. At least, that's what Ash thought.

The vampire hunters, Rashel and Daphne, were on the couch opposite of Ash, Rashel was probably giving Daphne a quick one over with all the tactics she had learned. Quinn was sitting on the arm chair beside her, listening intently to a Walkman, quiet and serious as always. _Having a soulmate didn't change _him_ much, _Ash thought. Phil was beside him on the other leather couch, practicing his witch fire and incantations and Jolanda Quartz, the other witch, sat on the desk with a bunch of gems in hand. Raksha Keller, the shape-shifter, had her back turned from the rest of the group and was gazing out the window.

Just now, Ash felt a sort of connection with the fierce she-panther. He took comfort from the fact that he wasn't the only one missing his soulmate.

Suddenly, Quinn stiffened. "The dragon's doubling in strength." Everybody's head whipped to face him; Ash's eyes turned a confused cloudy gray. "The other Daybreak members," Quinn explained. "They didn't even get a horn off. They didn't have a chance."

"What do you mean 'didn't have a chance'?" The innocent-looking Daphne asked.

"I _mean_, that Thea was right about the witches." Quinn looked paler than before. Ash didn't think that was possible. "Circle Midnighters, they're in league with it."

"Wait a second." The boy next to Ash—Phil—said. "I thought that the witches were on our side."

No one really seemed in a mood to explain about Night World history. They were all too busy watching Quinn get an update. So Phil's remark was laid aside until Keller re-joined the group and pulled out a chair. "Only Circle Twilight." She said. Then she paused and cocked her head at Phil. "You're new here aren't you?"

"Joined two weeks ago." His voice indicated that he was asked this a lot too.

"Well, I see you've been working with your powers. That's good." Keller's head bobbed up and down with approval. "You're getting good at it too, but do you know the two witch circles?" When Phil shook his head she continued, just like a teacher giving a well-informed lecture. "There's Circle Twilight, or the good witches, the ones that swore their alliance with us because of the ceremony—"

"Which I'm sure you and your husband know all about." Jolanda, Jo for short, had sat quietly and undisturbed before, but now, with her face turned towards her precious gems she didn't seem to see the death glare Keller gave her.

"Yes, well, I'll get to that later. The point is the Midnight witches? No good. Some may have changed and joined but most are slaves to their own darkness. So, don't even think about trusting them."

This time, Jo turned to face Keller when she spoke. "_I'm_ a Midnight witch." And was she ever, Ash thought. She looked absolutely wicked with her petite face forming something like a sardonic grin. If someone looked closely they'd be able to see her vivid violet highlights complimenting the natural black of her short wavy hair. Jo absently brushed some of her bangs away from her forehead and Ash, for the first time, got a good look at her face. He almost gasped in shock. Those _eyes _he had always thought that she had _brown _eyes but—Ash had never seen anything like them.

Jo's right eye, the one her hair was continuously falling into, was a striking shade of purple. Almost as violet as her highlights. Her left eye, the one in plain sight, was a clear brown color, but unlike most brown eyes, there was nothing warm and friendly about them. The combination would have looked odd and, to be honest, a bit creepy on any other but on Jo it looked… hypnotizing. Frighteningly so. If _she_ wasn't a Midnight witch, Ash didn't know who was.

Keller barley glanced up. "My point exactly Jo."

Phil looked from one to the other, as did everybody else. Even Quinn looked interested. Jo was staring at Keller, willing her to meet her amused gaze directly, Keller's sturdy gray eyes never budged. There was a sort of electricity in the air; clearly this was the beginning of a true rivalry. After a few moments, it was the pilot who broke the taut silence.

"Boston, Massachusetts in sight. We land in an hour."

In a flash, everyone got back to work. Rashel and Quinn went off to see if they could spot the dragon, and decided on the perfect landing area. Phil, Daphne, and Keller all began a heated debate on who should aim where. Jo, who abruptly broke her mesmerizing gaze, began sorting through her gemstones and spells she wrote on Post-it notes as quickly as she could without dropping one. That left Ash to himself.

Why did he have to leave his phone back at base? He would have had time for one phone call and he knew _exactly_ whose voice he wanted to hear. The burning ache inside his chest was all too familiar, it almost engulfed him completely.

If not for the silver cord.

The silver cord, the line that both blessed and damned the poor saps that were forever connected by it. Ash could feel it. He could feel it in him, in his blood, doing its best to pull him to the place he wanted to be at the most. Lots of times before, he was tempted to oblige. But his word was stronger than his desire. His promise to repent often battled with his yearning, but… he already broke one of his promises didn't he?

A defensive voice inside him whispered. _You had no choice, you were on a mission. _That's no excuse, he thought back. He could have at least called or something. But then what would he have said? "_Hello? Mare? Yeah, well its Ash here, you know the one you're destined to be with for all eternity? Yeah, um sorry to tell you but I'll be a little late for our reunion, what with the world ending and the apocalypse beginning and all. Uh, I think that's it. Okay then, later."_

That would've gone over well. Bottom line was, he was scared. Not for himself but for Mare. If she found out what was happening Ash had no doubt that she would come and help as fast as she could. As _best_ as she could. Which meant not caring if she hurt herself, as long was others were safe. She was just that noble. She'd make sure the world was safe or die trying.

And that's exactly what would happen. Mary-Lynette would die trying if she knew.

Ash shuddered.

"Ash!" It was Rashel, heading back into the den with her green eyes gleaming like they always did before a mission. With grim excitement. Then she saw his expression. "You okay?" Ash nodded mutely. "Good. Come on then. Get your stuff and get ready. It's show time."

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**_Author's Note:_Yes, I know i didn't add Mare's point of view in this one. But she'll be opening next time, i already have the plot drawn up. :) Okay then. What'd u think? U know, i think i may make this all the way to the Apocalipse. But i need to know wat u guys think of it first. Review!!!! It'll help my writing ten-fold!!!! :}**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: No ownership or any of that illegal stuff. Sheesh, I'm only in middle skool... =P**

**Huh... I made this one a lot faster than i made the others. Probably because SKOOLS OVER!!!!!! *ahem* sry... well thx 4 all the support and a big thank you to all that reviewed. :} Pls. feel free to ask me anything about the story in a review, I'd be happy to talk/chat/answer ur questions. Enjoy!!! =D

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**Chapter 4

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Mary-Lynette's sneakers squeaked against the damp sidewalk. It was starting to drizzle now, a low, grim drizzle. It didn't bother Mare much now, but in time this light drizzle would turn into rain, and that in turn would form into _hard _rain. She's never liked rain and she didn't plan on starting now. She absolutely loathed the weather at this moment. If she was right about the water-cycle (and she _should_ be, she didn't have straight A's for nothing), then she would have to walk back to her hotel, unsuccessful from her long day of searching, _again._ Then it'd be the second time her little investigation was rained out. Not to mention the fact that her sweater had no hood.

It's been four days since she began and she still hasn't found any liable evidence that her soulmate was here. She was about ready to pack her bags and look elsewhere. In truth, Mary-Lynette had only stayed this long in Vegas because she had—well she couldn't really explain it, but… She could have sworn there was something thrumming in the inside of her chest. She's felt it before, lots of times actually, and she had always regarded that occasional ripple inside her as heartache. But since she arrived in Vegas, well, it seemed to get stronger and stronger. Last night, when she was asleep, Mary-Lynette dreamt about the fluttering in her body pulling at her, telling her to follow it before it was too late. She can't remember much of the dream but she was certain that the humming inside her was fading… getting farther away... and she was also sure that she saw something silver—

An ice cold droplet splashed on her head, shattering Mare's reverie. She had barley looked up when more cascaded down on her. _Looks like I was right about the weather,_ she thought. Then, with her drenched hair and squeaking sneakers, she made way for the first shelter she could find. A rusty old-looking bar.

* * *

The front door creaked open as she stepped inside the establishment while a few heads were raised at her entrance. A man at one of the farther booths, maybe four or five years older than her, whistled at Mary-Lynette then wiggled his index finger as an invitation. She ignored him. Instead, she got a good look at the place.

It was just as she described. Old and rusty. Dim, hang-on lamps were placed above a couple booths on Mary-Lynette's right. On her left was the bar itself, wood and granite, with a few rotating chairs to match. To Mary-Lynette, the wooden counter and chair seemed clean enough, so she chose the one closest to the door and settled in.

The next moment, the bartender came in. And Mary-Lynette was almost tempted to reach inside her bag and pull out her knife.

He was _huge._

Maybe a foot or two taller than her and he was buff too. His copper-toned biceps seemed to move under his sleeve as he started wiping the counter. Mary-Lynette was shocked that the counter didn't give way at the weight of all that muscle. His bald head was shiny as the low light hit it, but he made up for his lack of hair with his salt- and-pepper mess of a moustache. The hair was tangled, hiding his mouth from every possible angle. Mary-Lynette was dead sure that if she dropped a coin in that enormous moustache, she'd never see it again.

All in all a very, _very_, scary man.

"Hey, little lady. What business d'you have here?" Mary-Lynette blinked. She hadn't expected his voice to have a southern accent, she was imagining some kind of deep voice mixed in between Vin Diesel's or Dwayne 'the rock' Johnson's. The accent sure didn't complement the rest of his tough-guy self.

"Little lady?" he asked again.

"Oh… um… I'm fine. Just you know…" She paused, trying to remember her reason for coming in the first place. "The rain! That's right; it was raining outside so I just headed in here."

The bartender didn't look convinced. "Your parents gave you permission to go into an _adult_ bar `cause of a light rain?"

"_This," _Mary-Lynette said, wildly gesturing to her drenched self. "Isn't because of a _light_ rain. It's soaking out there." She paused then added indignantly, "And no, I'm here alone, I'm old enough to be."

The man laughed and threw up his hands in mock defense. "All right there, partner. Take it easy."

Mary-Lynette chuckled back. The guy wasn't that bad. The danger that he seemed to emanate just a moment ago was dissolving into a pretty decent personality. Living proof that everything isn't always what it seems.

"But really, darling." He said when he returned to tidying up the woodwork. "The rain's almost gone now; I don't hear nothing from the roof, and it ain't leaking either, so the worst is about done. It's just one of the strange things in this here town." He stroked his beard back and smiled a crooked set of teeth at her. Then he cocked his head to one side as he looked at her.

"But, if you want lil' lady, I could lend you a hat for some protection from the rain. It'd be a darn shame for such a nice girl to get sick."

Mary-Lynette looked at him blankly, then at his shining scalp. It was about _twice_ the size of her head. "Thanks but, I really don't think it would fit."

Bartender man threw back his head and laughed again. "Hold on, lil' lady. I'll be right back." He turned around and muttered something like "Such a nice girl." Before disappearing behind a curtain of beads.

From her spot at the counter, Mary-Lynette could hear the creak of another door being opened and the hasty rustling of clothes that meant that he was searching for something in the closet. She playfully rotated herself on the chair while she waited. Then, after the groaning noise of the door being shut again, the man was back with an old-fashioned, red and black baseball cap in one hand.

"Here y'are." He said, gently putting the cap on the counter. "This should do just find on your head, darling. It was my daughter's."

She handled the cap carefully and then she put it on. Just the right size. "Are you sure she won't need it back?"

"Nah." The up-beat southern accent was still there, but it looked to Mary-Lynette like he was about to cry. "She don't need it where she is." He pointed his index finger upwards.

Mary-Lynette was dumbstruck. He had given her, a stranger he had met just a couple minutes ago, something that was precious to him. She reached into her pocket and dug up a ten-dollar bill. She was about to set it on the counter when a rougher hand stopped her.

"Don't waste your money on me, darling. You'll need it for the trip back home."

Normally, Mary-Lynette would have protested and, eventually, forced him to take her money. But, looking at his aged, innocent smile she knew that he truly wanted her to keep it. She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Thank-you."

"No problem lil' lady."

And that was it. The bartender resumed his scrubbing while Mare picked up her backpack and made her way outside.

* * *

_He was right._ Mary-Lynette thought. _The rain's almost over_.

The bar she had left two hours ago was already far behind 's been scouting the streets the whole day. It was about mid-afternoon when she started so it should be about… six p.m. The moon should have been full tonight but with the recent downpour it was being covered by dark, retreating clouds. But, with the rain almost gone and that pleasant talk with the bartender, she was in a pretty good mood. So good that it took her almost three hours to notice the continuous footsteps behind her.

Mary-Lynette was alert, but she didn't stop. She'd read enough "Nancy Drew" books to know what she had to do. She'd have to pretend she didn't notice her 'followers', then she'd make lots of meaningless turns to confuse them. When they were really lost she'd make her clever get away. The important thing was to stay calm and give no indication of your actions.

Of course… It wouldn't hurt to just _peek_ over her shoulder. So that's what she did, just a glance that the pursuers couldn't possibly notice at their distance. And then she turned her head back, a strange chill of unease on her spine.

It wasn't really the appearance of the two bulky shadows following behind that unnerved her so much as the way they _walked_. It was an odd type of swagger. Confident but stealthy. She'd seen someone walk like that before, except they'd been better controlled at hiding it. If only she could remember who—

_Jeremy_.

She urged her legs forward, refusing to faint when she was clearly in danger. _Jeremy_. Of course. Those two thugs behind her, they were like Jeremy.

_Werewolves._ Her mind screamed.

Her pace quickened, a fact she was sure the men following her noticed. _So much for Nancy Drew._

As she worked on getting her breathing back to normal Mary-Lynette reasoned with herself. _Don't be ridiculous._ She told herself, _those are _not _werewolves. You don't even have proof, you don't even know if they're following you._

Although she knew that it was stupid, she hung on to that theory. It was the only thing keeping her from making a mad-dash for it.

The drizzle had stopped completely, and though she didn't dare turn her head up, she knew that the moon was getting ready to break through the veil of clouds hiding it. So, when that happened, she'd be able to see if she was wrong about the werewolves or, God forbid, _right._

Minutes rolled on by.

At the back of her mind, where the panic hadn't reached yet, she remembered the oath she had taken before any of this started: to never give up until she knew exactly what had happened to her soulmate. And no, not even a bunch of werewolves were going to stop her. No matter how terrifying.

Drawing strength from an unknown source, Mary-Lynette made a snap-decision and turned to her right. In the distance she could see the outline of the "Black Pyramids" hotel and, if she squinted, she could spot the single needle-like point that should be the 1,149 ft. "Stratosphere" landmark, hotel, and casino. It was the street where most of the main attractions were. The Strip. And it was also the most crowded.

It was time to make her escape.

It seemed like an eternity had gone by when she made her way towards the neon-lit streets. But, bit by bit, the hotels definitely got bigger and as did Mary-Lynette's hope for freedom. A fleeting glance behind her was enough to confirm that those… _men_… were indeed following her. She didn't have time to be scared or nervous, she wouldn't allow it. In ten seconds Mary-Lynette would be close enough to the gathering crowd to be able to blend in.

_Ten._

God, she hoped this worked.

_Nine._

No, it _will_ work. It will.

_Eight._

The crowd was thick enough to get lost in, but Mary-Lynette knew where she wanted to go.

_Seven._

Well no, that was a lie; she didn't exactly _know_ where to go. She just knew that she was going to get out of this all right. One way or another.

_Six._

At the back of her neck, Mary-Lynette felt a slight chill. A familiar chill of being watched. She ignored it. Of course she was being watched. Isn't that why she was doing all this hysterical planning in the first place?

_Five._

Mary-Lynette's heart seemed to pump in time with her slightly shaky steps.

_Four._

_Thump-thump. _Right foot. _Thump-thump._ Left foot.

_Three._

This was it. The crowd was right in front of her.

_Two._

Mary-Lynnette's legs were gathering speed, she stiffened them in anticipation. One jump. One jump would be enough to give her a running start.

_One._

_Now! _She allowed her feet to reach full-speed. And then she was airborne.

Everything Mary-Lynette had, every ounce of strength she owned, was put into her jump. She smiled mid-leap, her calculations were perfect. Even before it happened, she knew she'd land safely in between a group of tourists, putting her at least two yards more distance from the thugs than she had the second before. But her mind didn't have time to register anything else. Her long legs were already carrying her on a dead sprint across the Strip. She barely even heard the sharp intakes of breath and profanity behind her.

She elbowed and kneed her way through the crowd, not really caring if people gave her the finger. The only thought passing through her brain was shining as bright as the neon signs around her: _There. Almost there._

But where was her subconscious leading her? For what it was worth, Mary-Lynette had no idea.

She kept on going.

She passed all the hotels in a blur. Monte Carlo, Excalibur, Caesar's Palace. More and more whisked by and she eventually found herself leaving the Strip, heading into a darker, trashier area. But the voice inside her had stayed shut all the way, and her legs were starting to slow down. Her breath was coming in short gasps and her vision was getting foggy and blurry, or maybe the whole city was spinning. The instinct to regain energy and oxygen was slowly overpowering the instinct to flee. Mary-Lynette knew it'll be risky, life-threatening, but there was no choice, she had to rest soon.

Her legs were threatening to collapse as she gave out another burst of energy while putting the rest of her focus in finding a safe hiding spot. The street was lined with various shaped buildings, but all were rotting and dilapidated. Mare didn't even know if there were people on this street or not. But then again, there was an odd sense of safety in it. Maybe this was the place—

_Not now, don't think about that now. _She had more pressing issues at hand. Her leg muscles were tightening, stiffening with over exertion. She had to find a place _now_.

_There. _The sign inside her head lit up again, showing her the way. Before she knew it her legs were leading her to a non-descript alleyway. Once there, she let her knees buckle and then she was on the ground, heaving up mouthfuls of air to fill her exhausted lungs. Her mind noted the back end of the alley; it was a two-way, meaning she could still make her escape to the other side. She'd lose them for sure. An odd sense of relief filled her. She'd done it.

As her lungs expanded with beautiful oxygen Mary-Lynette dragged herself to her feet. She was about to walk towards the way she came in, to check if it was clear, when she heard the sounds of angry shuffling, no longer trying to be stealthy.

"—think I can smell her. She might be over here."

"She better be, dimwit, or you and I'll be eating dog food the rest of our lives." More shuffling. And then the same voice continued. "Why'd you think he picked her anyway?"

"I dunno. But she did look tasty don't you think?" There was an agreeing grunt as Mary-Lynette eased backwards, to the opposite direction of the voices, to safety. But, there was no more escaping her theory. These weren't any normal harassers.

She was getting ready to bolt when she heard another pair of footsteps come, but this time they were behind her. Blocking her exit. She strained her ear to confirm it. Yup, there was definitely someone there.

"… Boss?" One of the voices asked, apparently they could hear the extra footsteps too. "You there?"

As silently as she could, Mare backed up against the wall, all hope being replaced by a numbing sense of defeat. She hadn't done it after all. She was trapped. _Don't think that!_ Her inner voice yelled. _You have _got _to find a way out of this._ But how? She knew that silver was deadly to werewolves but she was hardly in any shape to fight one let alone _three _with her dagger.

So, she can't think up an offense. What about defense? Other than the pale light of the covered moon, it was pitch black in here, but she knew enough about the Night World to know that only to her it was dark. The wolves probably had night vision like vampires. One of the many unfair advantages they had over her. _So what else? _Her mind went on. _What other sense do they use? That they rely on?_

Slowly, Mary-Lynette's gaze flitted to the dumpster beside her.

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**_Author's Note: _bum bum bummmmmm!!! heh heh, sry. Well lookie here, another cliffhanger. Aren't you glad? =P Well i was true to my promise, this chappie was all about Mare. And the next one'll probably open with her too. I'm already working on it. Oh, and one more IMPORTANT thing, dear viewers. Should I make it up to the APOCALIPSE OR NOT? You alone can decide the fate of this story.... wow... that was weird... bye now! :}**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: NO OWNERSHIP!!!!**

**Kay well, i got the part two of Mare's "chase scene" right here. :} be warned, many surprises and guest stars. :P**

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Chapter 5

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_It's my only hope. It's my only hope._

The sentence was repeated over and over in Mary-Lynette's head, but it had no effect what-so-ever on her body. Reluctantly, she turned her head towards the garbage and took a whiff. Her hands shot up to cover her mouth; at least she knew her gagging reflex was still intact. Her legs stayed frozen.

But the heavy and threatening footsteps on both sides were coming closer, and Mare was running out of time to think up some other brilliant plan. Preferably one that didn't involve swimming with leftovers.

"—she's here! I swear I can smell her!"

"Shut up Kenyon!" Another shout-whispered. The voice was a few feet away, if Mary-Lynette didn't act now, she never will.

_Only hope. Only hope. Only hope._

Carefully, while pinching the bridge of her nose, Mare opened the lid and climbed into the dumpster. She landed with a muffled, disturbing _squish _and, for the second time, she fought the bile rising in her mouth, all the while chanting; _only hope. Only hope. Only hope. Only hope._

As carefully as she opened it, Mary-Lynette closed the lid, leaving only a crack of fresh air to make sure she didn't suffocate in this unholy stench. But, as these things go, the crack also served as an eyehole. Just now she saw two shadows round the corner, looks like she went into hiding just in the nick of time.

The smaller of the two—Kenyon she supposed—looked around in confusion. "I—I swear she was here! Her scent leads _right_ here!"

"Shut up Kenyon."

"But Randy—"

"I said, _shut up._"

Grimly, Mary-Lynette noted the differences between the two. Randy, the one looking intently at every shadowed corner, was probably a few years older than Kenyon. He was more muscular too, judging by the clearly visible six-pack beneath his brown sweater. But the thing that caught Mare's attention wasn't his clothes or age; it was what he was _doing._ He was sniffing the air.

"Damn it." Randy said, nose still pointed upwards. "I can't smell shit with this cold. Keny, hurry up and sniff her out."

"Yes, sir."

Her head turned towards Kenyon, the leaner, younger, much cleaner one, and sure enough, he was doing the same thing. Mary-Lynette watched, fascinated in an odd way, and made mental notes for herself.

So it turns out that werewolves _do_ rely on their sense of smell more than anything and, looking at Kenyon dodge wayward sticks and litter, Mare was also right about the night vision. Another queer trait, she noted, was that, regardless of their in-human size, their bodies could easily blend in with the concealing shadows. Randy, who was now leaning against a bricked wall somewhere to Kenyon's right, was completely camouflaged, brown sweater and all. These two were _true _creatures of the night.

Even when Mary-Lynette had her full attention on Kenyon, her limited eyes couldn't follow all of his movements. His nose was leading him somewhere; at least that's what it looked like to her. His compact body was stooped down in a canine manner, all fours, while his snout was twitching like crazy, leading him… leading him to_ her_.

Her breath stopped.

The dog—man—werewolf guy was following his nose, and he was about to get his reward. Randy was leaning forward from the wall, looking interested for once. Noticing his expression, Mare was sure he hadn't expected Kenyon to get a lead.

The waste bin gave a little jerk as Kenyon's nose connected with its cool surface, Mary-Lynette bit on her lip, willing herself to keep still while closing the lid with a final _thud_. With painstaking awareness, she could hear Kenyon get up and brush the garbage off his jeans, and then there was the anticipated hand sliding upwards, towards the lid, opening it a fraction of an inch. She could see one of his hands now, gruff and hairy. There was enough light now in the box to see what was on his index finger. A black foxglove ring. The remainder of doubt Mary-Lynette didn't know she still had quickly dissolved into pure terror. Her breath was coming in short, silent gasps now.

The hand was coming nearer, and then its counterpart appeared with it. Both hands now, lifting the lid. In a matter of seconds she would be found, and God-knows what happens to her then. Mare desperately didn't want to find out. It was opening, slowly, so slowly—

And then the hand stopped and retreated full-speed, throwing Mary-Lynette back into pitch-black nothingness. It only took a moment to notice why.

The footsteps that sounded so far away earlier, the ones coming from the other side, was now moving in front of the bin, in front of Kenyon to be more specific. Mary-Lynette squashed the need to breathe a sigh of relief as she heard Kenyon scurry away from her hiding place. Then, as stealthily as she could, she reopened the lid. Just enough to see the one the other two called "boss"

He was six feet tall at the least, his lanky brown hair falling casually over his dull blue eyes. He had to be at least thirty to have that distinct after-shave and receding hairline. The odd thing was… she _recognized_ him. Well, no time to dwell on that. Mare's eyes travelled towards his right index finger, searching. As expected, he was wearing a foxglove ring too, but she was almost certain she saw that same brown index finger, beckoning at her… _the bar_, she thought. _That's the guy from the bar._ Her next thought sent chills up her spine. _They're everywhere._

A movement behind the otherwise ordinary looking man caught Mare's eye. The shadows parted to reveal six more men behind the first, three on each side. They were bodyguards most likely, all of which, Mare noticed, were wearing the exact same ring. Nine in all. Great.

"Kenyon, my dear boy, may I ask what it is you're doing?" The boss's voice was guttural, animal-like, but his tone was nothing but polite. An odd combo, Mary-Lynette thought. From the other side she heard quiet whimpers from Kenyon. Randy stepped up from his position. "Sorry, boss but—"

"—but we can smell her in here!"

"How many times do I have to tell you to _shut up,_ Kenyon?" There was nothing more controlled in Randy's expression. It was pure annoyance. And then he turned back to the boss. "My nose is stuffed up Mr. Vuk and Kenyon doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm sure the girl isn't here."

Mr. Vuk stepped away from his bodyguards and surveyed the moonlit surroundings. "Are you sure Randolph? Her scent is quite strong here—"

Randy snorted.

"—but," he continued. "If my best tracker says she isn't here, then she isn't." The man shook his head in mock self-pity. "Such shame too, master would have been pleased to have her. Oh well, come on boys." The deep voice got farther as he turned on his heel and left, the stalking grace of a hunter obvious in his pose. Soon enough, Kenyon and the bodyguards followed. Randy stayed back a little while longer and looked about himself. He looked at every corner like he did in the beginning, but this time his gaze stayed longer on the bin. Mary-Lynette froze but there was no need to, in a minute or so he made his way out just like the rest.

In a second Mare was out of the dumpster. No need to stay in _there_ any more than she had to. She evaluated herself as she got out, definitely scheduling a three-hour shower later on. The alleyway looked brighter than when she got in, she was about to rub her eyes when she noticed the moon. Its silvery sheen was glinting off of almost everything in the place, if it weren't for the trash everywhere it'd look like a silver mine.

Mary-Lynette was looking around the alley back and forth, not sure whether she should go left or right, when she heard the gasp behind her. She turned her head around. Kenyon was still there. And his teeth were bared.

"You—I knew you were here!" He sounded hysterical—intoxicated with the thrill of success, she guessed. She knew it was stupid at this point but Mare did it anyway. She put her finger to her lips.

He seemed to get the idea and then his young face twisted up in derisive cynicism. "Ha! You think I'm going to let you go? Fat chance!" Yeah, she expected that. But she also expected his turning around, to call to his boss. And he did and that was all the time Mare needed to reach for the silver dagger in her pocket. She lunged.

But she didn't get there fast enough.

Something fell out of the sky and tackled Kenyon before she got a chance to connect. It looked, to Mary-Lynette at least, like a black bird. If that was what she was expecting she was a tad disappointed and she also made a mental note to get her eyes checked, because on the ground, easily knocking out the lone wolf, was a boy about a year or two older than her. When he made sure Kenyon was out he turned to Mary-Lynette.

"What do you think you're doing!" he whispered. Well, that's a bad sign. It meant that there were more backups on their way. "Run!"

Mary-Lynette ignored him then fully unsheathed her dagger. She was getting tired of running, if there were more then there were more, she'd fight them all if she had to. But the boy was glaring at her with annoyed, obsidian eyes. _If looks could kill_, she thought and then she started. Now where has she seen _those_ eyesbefore?

_No time!_

Already she could see the outline of the six bodyguards, Randy and the one called Mr. Vuk were nowhere in sight. A wave of doubt threatened to engulf her, Mary-Lynette didn't know if she could kill one, let alone three, with _just _her dagger. And that was only if the dark-haired boy beside her did his part. Which she doubted. No way did he know what was going on here; he just got lucky with Kenyon.

Just now, he was getting up, moving her to his back for protection. Chivalrous? Yes. Smart? Not really. But how could she explain to him that these weren't normal thugs, but werewolves? Since she couldn't, she didn't argue.

It was happening in slow motion now, just like when she missed that branch back home, Mary-Lynette could see six muscular bodies racing to attack, to kill, and then as if synchronized, they all jumped. That was a sight Mary-Lynette would _neve_r forget.

All their bodies disappeared, if only for a moment, they seemed to… crumple in on themselves or something. And then the bodies were replaced by interlaced fur of all colors. One was tan while another was dark orange and yet another plain gray. All the faces were switched with beady eyes and drooling canine snouts. Within seconds Mare and the boy were surrounded by blood-thirsty wolves.

Their teeth were bared as they came closer; Mary-Lynette snapped out of her horror struck state and struggled out of the boy's protective hold. Her hand brushed his as they stood side by side and she felt something that felt like a wristband. Curiosity getting the best of her, she snuck a peek towards his arm. It _was_ a wristband but it had a logo on it, she craned her neck an infinitesimal bit then openly gaped. It was a black flower. Not just any flower, a black _lily._

She remembered Rowan's words from what seemed like a life time ago.

"_We wear them to identify ourselves to each other. You know, on rings or pins or clothes or things like that. Each species has its own kind of flower. Witches use black dahlias, werewolves use black foxgloves, made vampires use black roses…"_

But what's a black lily?

Every werewolf around them was growling, getting more and more impatient. Any minute now they'd jump. A second later and they all did, and everything erupted into chaos.

They divided, Mare noted. _Smart wolves. _The three on the right immediately pounced on her as she kicked and thrashed. That method seemed to work at the start, her dagger certainly connected a number of times but the wolves proved their knowledge by changing tactics, they were boxing her in now, pinning her back against the wall. She was trapped.

The wolves growled as she assessed the damages, which wasn't much. She got one of them three times though, by the looks of it, the rust colored one was limping on one foot. Something like pride of a job well done bubbled inside her. At least she did _something_.

The tanned wolf on her left snarled. She spat at it, feeling wild and unstoppable. And then she kicked it, right on the nozzle, seeing the stream of blood that came as an aftereffect. Immediately, Mary-Lynette spun on her heels and let her dagger connect with the brown one in front of her. It wasn't fatal though, she hadn't planned it to be, she just grazed his left flank, enjoying his strained whimper of surprise. For a moment, just a moment, she thought that she could actually win, that she could actually beat all three of these killer dogs.

But then the tanned wolf from her left side recovered from its nose bleed and sprung and Mary-Lynette, a slow, _much_ more inferior human, couldn't spin around fast enough to defend herself. Its teeth connected with her left leg and Mary-Lynette heard a sickening crunch come right before a distorted yell of agony. It took a few moments to realize that it was her.

And then she was down. Her left leg was broken; she could feel it resting in an impossible angle about her and her dagger was thrown forward, way out of her reach. The three wolves were getting their bearings back, realizing their victory with deadly joy, in a second they were all preparing to attack one final time. And Mary-Lynette was helpless to stop it.

Her eyes traveled to the boy that had fought with her. _Please let him live_, she thought. If he was dead because of her, she didn't know what she'd do. But there was no boy in sight, only a motionless body of a gray wolf. The other two wolves, the black and blond ones, were having a slight dilemma. The black one was being harassed by an abnormally huge sable bird while the blond one was jumping up and down on its hind legs, doing its best to snap the raven's legs off.

_The_ _raven._

Something in Mary-Lynette's head clicked at that instant, but she had no time to classify it. She only had time to watch her own death flicker across her eyes as one of the wolves in front of her bunched up its legs. She shut her eyes, sure of what was about to happen next.

"WHAT ARE YOU MUTTS DOING ON MY STREET?"

Mary-Lynette's eyes snapped open to reveal a curvy eighteen year old girl with coal-colored hair and smoky gray eyes. She looked _furious_.

"I SAID; WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON _MY _STREET?" Her eyes were storming up now, and she made as if to cup her hands when one of the wolves sprung at her.

What happened next was such a blur that Mary-Lynette's eyes fluttered to keep up. The already injured orange wolf, the dumbest one in the pack apparently, was hastily being flung to the other end of the alley with an out of place sizzling sound. He hit one of the walls with a disturbing, lifeless _thud_.

She turned to stare at the girl again, momentarily forgetting about the searing pain in her leg. The girl's scarlet-laced shirt rippled as she stood up straight but, before she did, Mare saw how her hands were cupped with some red tipped energy, and as she looked closer she saw how the girl's perfectly manicured fingers were still sizzling with its electricity. The same red electricity that led the orange wolf to its demise.

Both Mary-Lynette and the wolves beside her just stayed there, rooted.

"Blaise!" a voice from the opening shouted. "Blaise, what are you doing?"

Blaise, the girl who saved Mare's life, was inspecting her black-and-red nails for damage. "Nothing interesting, but you better get here quick. I don't think the wolves are going to keep them alive much longer.

Four heads in all appeared by her side. Two boys and two girls. One boy had ruffled dark brown hair with gray eyes less stormy and more secretive than Blaise's, another had neat golden hair. His head was turned to Blaise so Mary-Lynette couldn't really get a glimpse of him. The two girls were just noticing the snarling wolves. The taller one had short sorrel-colored hair with eyes the same color. Her expression betrayed nothing as she stared down the mad-dogs. The other was African-American with flawless cinnamon skin perfectly matching with her dark brown braids and wide creamy chocolate eyes. And they all looked _beautiful._ Even the boys. If Mary-Lynette didn't know better she'd think that there was some kind of fashion show nearby. The caramel-skinned girl stared at the dogs with open disgust.

"You see! It's rabid dogs like _you_ that give people like _me_ a bad name!" she shouted.

"Oh my god." The golden-haired boy said, just turning around. His golden-green eyes were on Mary-Lynette and, as she watched, his gaze travelled down to her misshapen leg. "Well come on!" he shouted to the others. "We've got to help!"

His words acted as a trigger for the whole group. The four new-comers sprang into action while the wolves prepared for another fight.

The slate-haired boy, Mare's first savior, had reappeared and was fighting the pitch-dark wolf along with the mink-haired girl who, somehow, found an iron rod. The mahogany haired boy was fighting the blond wolf while the second girl had disappeared. In her place was a sienna colored wolf with the same chocolate eyes, stalking the two remaining wolves at Mary-Lynette's side. It took only a second for Mary-Lynette to figure out what happened to her.

The golden-haired boy had disappeared too. But a sandy leopard had joined with the she-wolf in her attack. The one called Blaise was expertly weaving in and out of the action, making her way towards an invisible goal. Mary-Lynette just stayed where she was, barley hanging on to her consciousness.

Minutes or hours could have gone by with Mary-Lynette stuck in a tableau of snarling and blood. Lots of blood. Which side was winning? She had no idea.

Somewhere in the middle of things Mare gathered her wits enough to make sense of the turmoil around her. Her leg was numbing now and the grayness around her line of vision had increased, but at least it blocked out the pain from the rest of her wounds. Two more wolves were down, the black one due to the black eyed boy and amber haired girl and the tan one because of the cream-colored leopard and cinnamon furred wolf.

She watched the brown-haired boy lunge to his left and, when the wolf followed his actions, she saw how the boy changed his direction at the last second, aiming for the wolf's neck. He didn't miss. The cracking sound accompanied the _thump_ of the blond wolf's body as he collapsed.

Everyone was tired at this point but the wolves were the most damaged. The remaining one was practically dead on its feet; and by his flattened ears and silent whimpers, he knew it too. So he got smart and ran off, heading the opposite direction. The cinnamon she-wolf began to block his exit when the brown haired boy with steely gray eyes stopped her.

"We have more important things to do." He said and then he nodded towards Mary-Lynette's direction. Everyone's gaze, except Blaise's as she was still trying to find some unknown object near the wall, fell on her leg.

The leopard was the first to move yet again, so he made his way, paws matted with blood and all, towards Mary-Lynette. Half-way there his form shifted, a ripple ran through it, and then the golden-haired boy was in front of her, inspecting her oddly proportioned leg.

"Are you all right?"

Mary-Lynette opened her mouth to say "I'm fine." but then she looked up. His eyes, not ocher or green but some strange combination of both, held hers with utmost urgency, she looked at the others. They all had the same look, even the mink-haired girl. Maybe she wasn't fine after all. So instead, she told the truth.

She said, in a voice just above a whisper. "I don't know."

In a second Mary-Lynette was in his arms, being carried. She noted how gentle he was with her leg; she didn't think they made guys this gentle anymore.

The she-wolf began to ripple in on herself too, so when Mare blinked the cinnamon wolf was replaced with the cinnamon skinned girl.

"You're not looking too good." She said, giving Mare a concerned once-over. The familiar looking night-haired boy beside her rolled his eyes.

"You think Minsi?" he asked, sarcasm clearly visible in his magnetic eyes. "Because I think she looks great. Nothing like a broken leg and heavy blood loss to really bring out a person's eyes."

The other boy's gray eyes flashed. "You think this is funny Lonan? She's _seriously_ _hurt _and you're still as sarcastic as ever."

"Cool it James." Mink-haired girl raised her hands in a calming gesture. "He's just being difficult again. Nothing out of the ordinary."

Lonan shrugged. "Just comes naturally, I guess."

The other boy—James—Mare corrected herself, ignored the girl's calming gestures. "She was _your_ responsibility, _remember_?_" _He took in a deep breath before continuing while Lonan looked away. When James continued his voice was much lower, more controlled. "Care to explain how she ended up in Vegas wrestling a pack of werewolves? Or do you really _not_ care at all?"

Lonan looked at Mary-Lynette, from her leg to her matted hair. Their gazes locked and, looking at his pitch-black regretful eyes, Mary-Lynette got the feeling that he _did _care and that he _did _have a pretty good reason for showing up late. He just couldn't say either. He turned back to James.

"I'm sorry I got… _caught up_ in a few things. Please…" he cleared his throat, by his expression; Mary-Lynette easily concluded that he wished he could just die right there. "… forgive me" James looked utterly shocked at his sincerity, as well as the rest of the group. Mare got the feeling Lonan was the kind of guy that didn't apologize often. He continued. "But she really is hurt. So, can we just skip my punishment and treat her?"

James's mouth quirked upward and he gave an odd knowing smile. "I knew it was too good to be true." The two boys shared a grudging approving glare and moved to where Mary-Lynette was being supported by the other boy. Minsi and the other girl just exchanged confused and tired expressions and did the same.

Lonan reached her first. "Mary-Lynette? I know you're pretty confused right now, so… do you want me to explain everything?"

"Lonan, what are you doing?" the boy holding her asked. "She's barley awake. If you explain everything now it'll be like talking to the dead." Everyone glared at him. Finally, he seemed to get the idea and looked down at her, embarrassed. "Oh. Right. Sorry, Mare."

"Smooth, Galen…" Minsi said, and then her cynical expression made way to open suspicion. "Nissa? Where's Blaise? We really should get this gir—Mary-Lynette—"she turned to Mare. "Sorry Mare, I'm really bad with names. But anyway, we have to get you someplace warm and safe."

The girl with short brown hair—Nissa, Mare guessed, nodded. "She's right. At this rate the girl's going to either bleed or freeze to death. The sun won't rise for an hour or so and she's barely hanging on. Where is that witch?" Nissa looked around the alley before she leaned forward to inspect Mare's casualties.

"I'm right here." Blaise's midnight head turned up to face the group; she was on all fours now, her black denim jeans showing way more curvature than needed. Her expression was plastered with false cheeriness. "And don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. Have you clods forgotten already? This is _my _house." Then in much lower tones. "Stupid spell… I can never find the damn key…"

The rest ignored her and Nissa leaned farther in until her voice could be heard even in hushed tones. "You can sleep if you want to Mary-Lynette, you'll be safe with us."

Everyone else nodded with approval.

_Well._ Mare thought. _All right then._ She trusted these people, so with the last of her strength she nodded. And then she let go of her grip on reality and drifted off to much needed sleep. But she hadn't expected to hear a sound, and Mary-Lynette tried her best to reopen her eyes to see what caused it, but she was in too deep. Her eyes stayed shut.

The last thing she heard was a door being opened.

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**_Author's Note:_ So? Wat'd u guys think? I think this is about 4,326 words so it's definitely my longest chappie so far. :} i hope ur happy bout that. Oh and i'm taking votes for the next chapter. WHO SHOULD OPEN NEXT? SHOULD IT BE ABOUT ASH AND THE "MISSION DRAGON" FOR THE NEXT OPENING, OR SHOULD I CONTINUE MARE'S STORY? It's up to you really, i have most of both typed up and i don't really think it matters which one goes first. It's just a matter on which one you're itching to read about =P**

**More reviews= happy me :D Happy me=creativity Creativity=good chapter. See where i'm going with this ppl? REVIEW!!! *ahem* pls?**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: No ownership besides the plot and MY characters. Okay? Great.**

**So sorry for keeping u guys waiting for so long but my laptop broke down and all the files inside it were deleted :O i know right? so i had to retype it all over again.... O and sry for those of u who said that they wanted Ash to open, but on the bright side I was generous enough to allow a sneak peek on his current situation. :} And remember I had to re-type it all_,_so it might not be that good. Again sooooo sorry. :{ Anywayz ENJOY!!!!!

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**Chapter 6

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_The sun's shining, _was Mary-Lynette's first thought as she struggled out of the coming wave of vertigo. Her eyes were still closed but she could see the faint rays of sun through her thin eyelids. She resisted the urge to moan, she wasn't ready to wake up yet. She didn't even know what had happened or how she arrived where she was right now. All she wanted was rest. Peaceful undisturbed rest. But… what's that noise? Are those voices?

"—running out of time." A low, tired voice said.

"So should we tell her?" A girl somewhere to Mare's left inquired. Her voice sounded cool and unperturbed, like none of what they were talking about could possibly affect her.

A short sigh. "I don't know."

"Let the girl rest for Christ's sake." Another girl said. Her voice wasn't like the other girl's; hers was excited and anxious, almost child-like. Then Mary-Lynette felt warm fingertips brush away some of the hair that covered her face. "She already has enough going on for her."

Curiosity was almost getting the better of Mary-Lynette, along with some unwanted memories. She knew that voice; actually, she knew all of these voices, she's heard them somewhere or sometime before. Names were popping up in her head…

Mary-Lynette squashed the need to open her eyes as a hypnotizing and oddly serious voice joined the conversation.

"Minsi's right, no need to get Mare more involved than she is now. She's already been through more than she deserves to be. She doesn't need any more of this endless bedlam."

A short silence descended amongst the group.

Then Mare heard the groaning of a chair turning around and the same low tired voice from before, except now it was burning with curiosity and something like… like growing hope. "You seem different today, Lonan." Another short pause. "Which reminds me what _is_ your explana—"

Mary-Lynette didn't know how, but her eyes finally won the battle. They fluttered once, twice, before someone beside her stiffened.

"Shh. Guys, I think she's coming to."

An annoyed, somewhat sensual voice cut across the room. "Oh great. And I suppose you simpletons are going to ask me to make her some hot chocolate. 'Be nice for once' and all that."

"No worries Blaise, all of us already know you have the compassion of an icicle."

A sound of someone flicking their fingers. Mary-Lynette's eyes opened just in time to see a mug whisk by and aim for the black-haired boy leaning on the wall. He dodged easily to the side as the fine china broke into pieces just an inch from his head. It left a splatter of brown goop on the scarlet wall.

The boy clicked his tongue and appraised the new stain. "You know I think I like it better this way. It gives the wall more character."

The girl's eyes looked like brewing storm clouds. "I'll show _you_ character—"

"Enough!" the sorrel haired boy said at the same time a beautifully caramel-skinned girl yelled "Stop it!"

Mary-Lynette struggled to sit up, still feeling a bit woozy from her slumber, And the names… the names that were starting to form in her head when she was asleep were slowly taking place in her mind's eye. _Yes,_ She thought. _There was Blaise and James and Lonan and Galen and Minsi and Nissa_. Now if only she could remember who's who… as she struggled with that she got a good look at her surroundings. It was a big room, about twice the size of hers; the weird thing about it was the color scheme.

One half, the half where (at least she thinks) Blaise and Lonan and James were arguing in, seemed to revolve around one color. Blood-red. The walls were a dark scarlet, with a matching red velvet bed and dozens of gleaming rubies on the black glossy desk. A black dresser stood near the vanity table, complete with an oval-shaped mirror, it looked so mystical with all the candles and flowers Mary-Lynette half expected Blaise to stand in front of it and say: _"Mirror, mirror on the wall; who's the fairest one of all?"_ The room was then heavily accessorized with dozens of black-and-red checkered pillows scattered on the bed and carpeted floor. The crimson paint job ended halfway on the northern wall, on top of the only window in the room, and halfway through the door on the southern wall. The other half was completely different.

To Mary-Lynette, the door and window acted as a divider for the diverse bedroom. The other side, the eastern side with Mary-Lynette, and what's left of the group, Galen, Nissa, and Minsi, had pastels as its theme. Sky blues, spring greens, carnelian pink. Just now Mare was sitting on a blue sofa on the opposite side of a leaf-green bed. The dresser was in between with a bright yellow gloss and an intricate pattern of flowers and vines printed on its sides. _A very nature-in-tuned theme._ Mary-Lynette thought.

Though both thoroughly different sides, one fairly neat the other fairly messy, they acted as an amplifier for the other. The pastels complemented the bold red, making it extra vibrant, while the passionate color enhanced the peace and tranquility of the lighter hues. The two were in perfect harmony.

Mary-Lynette switched her attention from the interior decoration to the people residing in it. She didn't know any one of them. Well sure, they saved her life and all but she didn't actually _know_them. The black haired boy—if she was right with her guesses, Lonan—seemed to have done it again though, everyone was yelling at another to stop yelling. In a while, her eardrums were starting to hurt.

"People!" the boy with sun-shined hair—Galen, she thought—beside Mary-Lynette yelled. "Did you not hear me? She's _awake_!"

"Mary-Lynette?" the girl that brushed her hair away—either Minsi or Nissa. No, Nissa doesn't have that kind of skin so it must be Minsi—when she was feigning sleep was gently feeling her head for a bump. Everyone else fell into a reluctant silence. "Are you okay, girl? Do you remember what happened?"

Mary-Lynette thought about it for a while and then she shuddered. Yes. She did remember. She remembered the wolves and these people and everything. She shifted position on the baby blue couch, putting her knees to her chest. And then she realized something.

"My leg." She said, experimentally bending her left limb. "I thought it was broken."

The golden-haired boy next to Mare faced her. "Well it _was_.

Blaise shifted on her bed. With her scarlet laced shirt, she almost camouflaged. "Just spit it out Galen, she's a big girl, she won't go into shock."

Galen made a face. "Fine then. Blaise healed it. She's a witch."

Blaise looked at everyone's faces individually, as if daring anyone to say that she didn't do something worthwhile. No one, not even Lonan, made a sarcastic comment. She smiled, pleased with herself, and then nodded to Mary-Lynette.

"Thank you, Blaise." She said.

The witch's smile got wider.

And then Mare nodded, remembering the blast of energy she used against the wolves. At least _that_ made sense now. "I think I figured that out. But…"

Galen looked cautious. "But—?"

"But what about the rest of you." She finished in a voice resembling a whisper. She wouldn't have minded if they ignored the question. But, of course, they didn't.

Nissa stepped forward. "Oh. That's right. Our mistake Mare, we forgot to formally introduce ourselves during the whole werewolf scenario." It wasn't a sarcastic remark; it was just a mere fact. In any case Nissa was smiling as she held out her hand. "I'm Nissa Johnson, a lamia. You know, a born vampire."

Yes, she knew what a born vampire was. Three of them were her family and another was her _supposed_ soulmate. Swallowing a forming lump in her throat, Mary-Lynette took Nissa's hand without hesitation, shook it once, and then let go. The cropped cool brunette continued her introduction as she pulled up a rolling chair. "So, I'm only in this mess because I'm part of the Circle Daybreak agency." She paused. "Do you know what that is?"

"Circle Daybreak? I think so. It's where people with soulmates go isn't it?" So they were from Circle Daybreak? Does that mean Ash was nearby? Mare couldn't believe her luck.

Nissa chuckled. "It's not all soulmates. For example, _I_ don't have one. But my boss sure does." She said "boss" so casually, caringly, maybe Nissa wasn't so detached after all. It took a while for Mary-Lynette to notice Galen blushing as Nissa snuck a teasing glance at him.

She had to break the awkward silence. "Nissa?"

"Hmm? Oh. Right, well, like I said I don't have a soulmate. You don't have to. Circle daybreak isn't _just_ for that, it's also home for anybody, Night Person or just person, willing to help save the—"

"I think that that's enough Nissa." Lonan cut in. He looked weirdly serious as he gave her a _shut it_ look, but when he turned to Mare he had his usual face on: at ease and sarcastic, just asking for trouble. "It's _my_ turn."

"We've already met haven't we?" He continued. "Do you remember my name?"

Mary-Lynette stared at him, at the boy looking at her from across the room. He was handsome, a knock-out for most girls, with his glossy midnight hair and his wild, magnetic eyes. He had the face of a well trained actor, high cheekbones, perfectly shaped lips, and a slight glowing tan. He looked ready to play the part of anything and anybody, and Mare was convinced that he'd be able to fool even the most suspicious of people. She looked at his buttoned up black polo shirt and his faded denim pants and, most of all, his right arm with the logoed wristband. Then she remembered the fight and how she put the pieces together on this mystery boy. Finally, she nodded.

"Lonan right?"

He smiled that sarcastic smile. "Lonan Vasco, that's right."

Then he smiled wider and nodded at everyone in the room. "You see? I told you she was a smart one." He turned back, after receiving many approving nods. _Weird._ Mary-Lynette thought. She thought they had all hated him. He surely is the cause of most of their troubles, but they all still seem to like him well enough. Everyone had that same grudging respect and affection on their faces as they turned to him. Then Mare got a look at Blaise's expression. Open hostility and disgust. _All right, _she amended. _Everyone except _her.

Lonan was still talking.

"Now Mare, this may shock you but—"

"You're a shapeshifter aren't you?"

His eyebrows quirked. "All right Einsteinette, what _animal_ am I?"

Her answer came quickly, without doubt or hesitation "A raven."

She had the reward of seeing his eyes widen a little bit. And then he settled back on the red wall, carefully avoiding the chocolate stain and looking very impressed.

"How'd you know?"

_Because_ _you were the one following me. _Mary-Lynette thought. _At the strip, I knew someone else was following besides the wolves, and only a bird could have caught up so quickly. And the fight. Whenever _you_ disappeared, that big black bird was attacking. _Then she remembered something from one of her Language textbooks. _And there's always the undeniable fact that Lonan is Irish for "little blackbird" that gave it away. _Not feeling like explaining all that, she just shrugged. "Just a lucky guess. But I do have one question—"

"Was I the raven bothering you when you were climbing out of your house?" He straightened his shirt, looking a lot like someone who did a bad thing. And proud of it. "Yup. That was me."

"That means you saw me fall."

"I did more than see you fall, Mare. I sort of caused it." This time he looked slightly ashamed. "All I had to do was swing the rope a bit so you'd miss that branch… So, um, sorry about that, but I couldn't have you going out on your own, without any help at least."

"So _you _sent Kestrel?"

His eyes widened even more, though Mary-Lynette wasn't sure if anybody else saw it. _What did I say? _She thought. She was about to ask but Lonan regained his composure. "I don't know much about _her._ I was actually going to shift back right then and there to stop you but then _she _came."

"Then you could have told me after couldn't you? You could've helped me then, so why'd you wait now?"

He shrugged, jet eyes glinting with mesmerizing amusement. "You never asked."

Mary-Lynette stifled the urge to throw a cup at him like Blaise did.

"Anyways," he continued. "I've been assigned to watch over you from Lord Thierry himself. He got word from someone down at Briar Creek, most likely one of Ash's sisters, that you were his soulmate. And Thierry, being the protective lovable guy he is, sent _me_, the responsible one, to keep _you_ safe."

"And he did such a nice job, didn't he Mary-Lynette?" Blaise, who had stayed mostly quiet throughout most of the conversation, got up from her bed and began to stretch like a cat. "I'm sure he knew what he was doing, leading you to Las Vegas, the most visited ver—" she looked at Mare. "Whoops, I mean _human_ city by the Night People _and then_ letting both of you get caught by a bunch of flea-ridden mutts." Her shoulders straightened like she remembered something, then she turned to her right and gave a slight apologetic smile to Minsi. "No offense, of course."

"None taken." Minsi replied, that childlike lilt still ringing in her voice. "In my opinion, those guys _were_ mutts. I'd have bet my teeth that half of them had rabies." She mock shuddered.

Blaise turned back to Lonan. "And you couldn't even get out of it yourself. _We_ had to help. You're just lucky I forgot my purse."

"Oh yes. I feel _so_ blessed."

Her gaze turned frostier. "You really outdid your idiocy this time Lonan."

Lonan sighed and looked her straight in the eyes. "I didn't lead her here, Blaise. Kestrel did."

"Oh?" The midnight haired girl asked. Mary-Lynette was instantly reminded of a kitten cruelly playing with its prey. "And I thought you didn't know much about this… Kestrel."

Lonan looked taken aback. "I— she's one of Ash's sisters."

Blaise just turned away. "Uh huh. Well, I think I have some hot chocolate to make for the human." She gave Mary-Lynette a warm, if not insane, smile. "Ciao." She said and then she was out the door.

_Now what was that about?_ Mary-Lynette thought. But the introductions were going on.

The boy with shining blond hair was talking. "That was Blaise Harman; you'll have to excuse her. I know she acts very… witchy at times but she really is on our side." Lonan snorted. Galen continued. "Her cousin and grandma used to live with her here but Grandma Harman, is—uh—in a better place now." Everyone in the room settled in a memorable silence, even Mare who knew nothing of Grandma Harman. When they were finished the boy continued.

"And her cousin, Thea Harman, found her soulmate so she transferred in with Circle Daybreak. She still comes here every now and then though, and this _is_ one of our best meeting places, the best one near the city at least. No one would _dare_ suspect _Blaise_ on the side of good."

The other five heads nodded in unanimous agreement.

"In any case, I'm Galen Drache." He reached his hand out; Mary-Lynette took it the same way she took Nissa's, calm and trusting.

"Do you have a soulmate?" She felt weird asking this, it felt too personal. But Galen just threw back his head and laughed.

"Yes. I do. Her name's Keller, she's a 'shifter like me."

Mary-Lynette was fascinated. "What animal?"

"Well, we both turn into panthers, but we're different colors."

Nissa rolled her eyes. "Why do you always forget to mention the most important thing Galen?"

"What? Oh!" He looked at Mary-Lynette with an uncomfortable line plain on his face. "Did I… forget to mention that I'm… sort of… a prince of all shapeshifters?"

She resisted the urge to gape. He looked ready to die of embarrassment. Galen was a nice guy, certainly the gentlest out of this group, he didn't act like a prince should. Looking at his long sleeved green shirt and jogging pants he seemed very ordinary. His royalty only betrayed him with his shock of wavy golden hair and caring peridot-colored gaze. Oh well. Mary-Lynette liked him anyways.

"Really? That's great! I'm sure you'll make a great king someday." She gave him a warm smile.

He sent her a thank-you gaze and nodded.

Lonan started humming, playing along with the conversation. "Long live the King."

"Hello? What about me? I want a turn too!" Minsi was practically bouncing up and down the green bed.

"All right well, that's Minsi—" Galen began but she had already jumped out of the bed, heading towards Mary-Lynette.

"My name's Minsi Moore and I'm—" she looked at Mary-Lynette quizzically. "Guess what I am."

Mary-Lynette remembered the wolf in the alley; it had the same caramel tinted fur as Minsi's cinnamon skin. And, looking into those playful milk-chocolate eyes, Mary-Lynette couldn't shake off the disturbing feeling of wanting to pet Minsi's delicate soft brown hair.

"Werewolf?" she said.

Minsi smiled a huge smile. _She has perfect teeth_, Mare noted. _I wonder if it sharpens when she morphs._

"Right! Now, I know it's confusing right now but don't worry you'll understand everything soon."

"No she won't." Lonan said. It was in an indifferent tone, almost not caring, but it had a big effect on the group.

A dark brown haired boy leaned in on his chair. "Lonan—"

"I mean it James."

James sighed. "Fine. But I haven't introduced myself yet." Then he turned to Mary-Lynette. He smiled a smile that touched his eyes. "So we finally meet huh? I'm James Rasmussen, Ash's cousin. He's told me a lot about you." Smile.

Mare's hope-meter hit off the charts. "Really, James? Is he with you? Is he here?"

The smile on his icily handsome face disappeared in an instant. "I—No, I mean he _was_, but… But I think he's on a—"

Lonan cleared his throat.

"—a trip. To gather people like us, with soulmates."

Her shoulders sagged. "So I… missed him."

No one answered.

Before she could stop it, Mary-Lynette felt warm tears in her eyes.

The bedroom door opened. "James, you dunderhead, what did you _do_?" Blaise was coming back, tea kettle in her left hand. She reached for the Kleenex box on her desk with her other set of scarlet-tipped fingers and gave it to Mare. "Here you go Mary-Lynette, retain some of your dignity."

Mary-Lynette took it. She didn't know if that comment was meant to be condescending or not, but Blaise's enchanting gray eyes showed nothing but compassion and sympathy. Her touch was gentle as well as she supportively patted Mare on the shoulder. She didn't seem _that_ bad. From the corner of her eyes, Mary-Lynette saw jaws being dropped. Lonan was the first to retract his "o" shaped mouth.

"All right, what have you done to Blaise? She looks a lot like _you,_" Lonan said, pointing an accusing finger at the bending girl. "But she has the generosity of a pawnbroker."

"Very funny, crow" Blaise said, straightening up from wiping Mary-Lynette's eyes.

"I'm a _raven_ remember? Or did you already run out of braincells?"

"Really? Are you sure that's what you are? Because the last time I saw a face like _yours_, I fed it a banana."

"Drop dead Blaise."

"I hope a huntsman shoots you down, crow." Blaise's face morphed into something like false politeness. "Now, what exactly did I miss?"

Minsi opened her mouth, Lonan turned to glare at her until she re-closed it. "Forget it, Blaise. We're almost done here anyway."

They were facing one another now, Lonan getting significantly nearer to Mary-Lynette, who just sat there confused and entertained at the same time, as did everyone else. And then Lonan turned to Mary-Lynette, kneeling. Mary-Lynette had a slightly odd feeling that he was pleading with her, maybe even begging. Minsi's and Galen's mouths were openly agape. Nissa and James just stood there, watching with amused and observant eyes while Blaise continued glaring at the back of Lonan's head, probably imagining some other flying object hitting him.

"Look Mare, if you don't want to stay with us and _suffer _like us—" He cast a pointed glance about the room. "—then you can just go home. Forget this ever happened. I'll still watch over you and your family. You'll be safe back in Briar Creek and you'll never have to be troubled by the Night World again. I'll even send Ash over as soon as he's… available. "

Mary-Lynette sat dazed on the soft cushions; it was all happening too fast. And Mare wasn't stupid. By what everyone had said she knew that there was _some _kind of trouble, she just didn't know what, or why Lonan didn't want _her_ in on it. "But… but I want to help you guys."

"You can_ help _by being safe. By keeping your family safe. Mark and Jade and Rowan and—and Kestrel. They miss you."

Everyone stared at Mary-Lynette, waiting for an answer. Blaise began pouring hot chocolate into Mare's mug.

Mary-Lynette thought about it. She really did. She thought about how easy it could be to say yes to Lonan's option, to forget this ever happened and go on with her own life, just like what she had done when Ash offered her _his _option. She turned thatone down; she chose to be safe and human. But that was the past... and this is _now._ Mary-Lynette had closed an open door of opportunity last year because she was too scared to accept a world of adventure and risk taking. Well what about now? Surely, she wasn't the same girl she was last year. She's traveled on her own and she's seen, not to mention fought with, a pack of werewolves. And she _survived_. And there's always Ash, her lost love. She promised to find him and she will on her _own_ accord. Somehow.

And Lonan had said that her family missed her. That was impossible, Kestrel wouldn't tell them, Kestrel would never betray Mary-Lynette. And didn't Lonan say that he didn't know Kestrel? If he didn't know _her_ than how could he possibly know _the rest_ of her family? She openly admits, Lonan does strike her as the type to maneuver and sneak his way out of anything with his cleverly used words, but this seemed too desperate for him. So why _was_ he trying so hard anyway? She didn't know. But she'll find out soon. May-Lynette bit back a sigh, yet another almost-impossible item added on her "to-do list".

In any case, it all comes down to one question: Was she going to miss _this_ adventure just because she was scared of the truth?

_Never._

Harsh truth had to be better than safe lies. It had to be.

"No Lonan." Mary-Lynette forced herself to meet his dark gaze. His eyes seemed to have an inner glow in them, an inner spark of something that no one can define. It was positively eerie. "I'm staying."

The creepy deceptive shine in his eyes turned to malice. It took all of Mary-Lynette's will not to cringe. "Well, I think that's stupid."

Blaise's indifferent expression didn't change as she looked up from Mary-Lynette's mug to Mare herself. "You want to know what _I _think—?"

The coal haired boy stood abruptly and stepped away from Mary-Lynette, towards Blaise. That was when Mare noticed how tall he was. Tall and sleek. He towered over Blaise by about three inches, magnetic eyes blazing. "Oh do tell Blaise, in fact tell them _everything _you've _ever_ thought. It'll only take ten seconds."

Blaise gave no indication of hearing; she didn't even turn her head. She just continued pouring hot chocolate into Mary-Lynette's cup, completely ignoring Lonan. "_I_ think that you have a right to know."

Nissa used Lonan's speechlessness to her advantage as she dragged him a few feet away from Blaise. _Smart girl,_ Mare thought. He looked ready to kill.

"You think she needs to have anything else to worry about?" he shouted across the room.

This time she answered him. "What she _needs_ is to know what's going on. So why don't you just shut your mouth and open up your mind. Both are empty anyway." Blaise calmly retorted. She was done with pouring hot chocolate so she made her way back towards her bed with a cool sashay. Then she added, almost like an afterthought. "There's no escaping from fate, you know." She gave Lonan a secretive smile. He paled.

In a few seconds, he recovered his silver tongue. "I bet you just want to tell her so you can _scare_ her." Lonan snorted. "Typical Blaise, always gets kicks from other people's misery."

Blaise didn't look calm anymore as she turned to face him. Her eyes could've paralyzed at a glance. "I want to tell her because she _deserves_ the truth. And I can think of a_ very _good place to get my kicks."

"Oh really? Where?"

"Turn around and I'll show you!"

"God, will you two ever shut up?" Nissa muttered. Minsi and Galen looked on like two spectators at a wrestling arena.

Blaise and Lonan continued glaring and held their grounds, a silent competition of iron wills.

"All right you two! That's enough!"

James stepped forward, in between the two. "Lonan. Lonan listen. She's right; Mary-Lynette deserves to know."

Lonan gave Blaise another hard look before he turned to James. A telegraphic communication passed through the two boys as Lonan's face got more and more distorted with fury. In time though, it morphed back into his crooked cocky smile, Lonan didn't seem the type to stay serious for long, _Or maybe it's just a part of his act,_ a disjointed catalytic part of Mary-Lynette's mind suggested. _He's hiding something_. But what?

"Fine, whatever. Say what you want to the girl. But remember _witch_," Lonan allowed some acid to seeth into the word. "She's _my_ responsibility."

Blaise smiled a feline smile of triumph. "Good birdie."

Lonan's eyes sparked once more but he beat it back down with sheer will power. "Have fun destroying her life."

And then he left the room.

Galen stood up from Mary-Lynette's side. "Maybe I should go talk to him."

He snuck a questioning glance with James and only someone as close as Mary-Lynette would have seen the queer exchange. James's eyes moved up and down, Mare wasn't sure but she thought that it looked a lot like a nod. He looked grim but happily surprised. Galen just looked ecstatic with a touch of concern. The blond 'shifter nodded towards the rest of the group. "I'll be right back." And then he left too.

James cleared his throat. "Blaise? I believe _you_ were the one who happily volunteered to, as Lonan put it, 'destroy her life'."

"And I'll happily oblige. But I'm not _destroying _her life," Her gaze looked honest, almost pleading for everyone to believe her. Mary-Lynette was sure that wasn't a side of her seen too often. But then her trademark Blaise look was back and she shrugged. "I'm just adding a little... spice to it."

Then she turned to Mary-Lynette.

"Sweetie? I think you've known me long enough—"

"She's only known you for an hour Blaise." Nissa put in matter-of-factly.

Blaise ignored her. "—to know that I don't like beating around the bush. So here it is."

She laid a hand on Mary-Lynette's shoulder. The rest of the group, Nissa and James and Minsi, gathered around Mare in a tightly knit circle on the blue couch, radiating anxiety and support. Nissa and James looked calm and collected, as usual. Minsi just looked anxious.

"The world's going to end, dear. And we only have approximately six months to stop it."

* * *

"ARE YOU SURE THE PARACHUTES WILL HOLD?" Ash's hair was whipping back and forth, nearly obscuring his line of vision. The morning breeze was anything but gentle, it was a full _gale._ A fact that everyone on the mission would agree on.

Although he was talking to Quinn it was Jolanda who answered, her voice not even slightly shaking as it cut across the roaring wind. "IT SHOULD! SOME OF THE WITCHES BACK AT BASE CHARMED THEM!"

"IS THAT GOOD OR BAD?" Ash replied.

She smiled a bone-tingling smile which was heavily amplified by her eyes. Though different colors, both were shining with pure excitement and thrill. "WELL WE'LL FIND OUT WON'T WE?"

Everyone looked at each other. Phil and Daphne were sharing scared-out-of-their-wits glances, and Rashel and Quinn were sharing soulmate moments. Ash quickly looked away from that. Jo and Keller, rivalry momentarily forgotten, were now searching the ground together, trying to find a safe landing spot.

They hadn't planned on this. They were supposed to land _with_ the jet, not jump 800 ft. and, hopefully, release their chutes fast enough to stop their death spiral towards the ground. The only reason for the mishap was the dragon. It was blocking their originally planned landing in the city. Ash shook off the nasty, yet wise, feeling that told him that it wasn't just a coincidence.

_It's waiting for us. _

Ash sighed.

They almost went into panic when Jo, the only one who kept her cool, had suggested free-falling. Quinn and Ash were all for it, knowing that it was the only way to get down in time. The rest, especially Keller, were reluctant with the impulsive idea but eventually decided that they were right. There was't much time for anything else.

Luckily, there was just the right amount of parachutes. The only problem was the drop but, to be honest, Ash knew for a fact that _he_ wouldn't die. He was lamia, he'll most likely live the fall even if his chute didn't work. Same thing with Keller and Quinn, _they'd _survive no matter what too. But the others? Phil was a newbie, Ash was sure he didn't have enough knowledge to get out of this with a spell. Rashel and Daphne were humans, weirdly skilled but still humans. Jo… well he didn't know about Jo. She actually looked anxious to drop, like she was a little girl about to ride on her first ever roller coaster.

"WELL?" she asked. "WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?"

"THE RIGHT ALTITUDE!" Quinn informed, his voice unusually loud and tight with worry, a rare characteristic, but Ash already knew that he wasn't worried for himself. His one-and-only was human, she's got a fifty-fifty chance of survival while _he _had a hundred. If anything, Quinn didn't like taking blind chances. "WE ONLY HAVE ONE SHOT!"

Moments passed while the wind blew past the open side door and onto their faces. They were a few miles from Boston, Massachusetts now. Ash knew that they need to get closer for their target. A few minutes now… seconds…

"NOW!" Quinn shouted.

Quinn went out first, serious and stiff with anxiety. Jo was next, yelling "WOOO HOOO!" all the way down.

"DAMN IT JO!" Keller shouted out the door. "YOU'LL GIVE AWAY OUR LOCATION!" with a frustrated grunt she hauled herself out, Rashel followed suit. Daphne and Phil hesitated once then jumped out as one.

Ash looked at the ground below him. Four chutes were already up, and, unless his hawk-eyed gaze was mistaken, Daphne and Phil were getting ready to open theirs. He breathed a sigh of relief. _They'll be fine._

With no more worry for the others in him, Ash prepared himself for the ride of his life. Well. Maybe not, there was that one time in California with that mind-blowing roller coaster... Memories sprang up, protecting his mind from the feat ahead, the only problem was that with them came the one that always persisted on making him miserable. But, ironically, this time it _helped_ him. He wondered what his human soulmate would say if she knew what he was doing as he stepped towards the rushing open air.

The image of Mary-Lynette's horrified expression had him laughing all the way down.

* * *

**_Author's Note:_** **Man, I'm tired. Anyways do both me and the story a favor and REVIEW!!! Everything depends on _your_ critique and guidance! REVIEW!!!!!!!!**


	7. Chapter 6

**No ownership besides the plot and new characters =P**

**Okay so this is the longest so far. I'm still trying to get back my old files but whatever. *shrugs* personally I think this is better than the original. Oh well... you be the judge. Help me be a better writer by reviewing. :} thx and enjoy!!!!!!

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**Chapter 7

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_It wasn't _that_ bad._ Ash thought as his chute led him safely to the ground. His lanky legs were only a few feet away from solid earth now. Jo, Quinn, and Rashel were already un-strapping their used parachutes while he, Keller, Daphne, and Phil just landed.

As his feet hit dirt, Ash immediately surveyed his surroundings and teammates. Everyone looked relieved to have that part of the mission over, except Jo of course. Her black-and-purple hair was ruffled, even messier than usual, and her cropped leather jacket looked ripped and worn from the fall as she took off her chute. Jo looked disappointed somewhat; like it wasn't the thrill she was looking for.

Quinn and Rashel looked at each other with open gratitude, Daphne and Phil's expressions gave away their joy and self-pride of not backing out and Keller just looked like she wanted to get the whole thing over with.

"All right people." She said. "We should get going, and fast. The dragon's already on the move."

Everyone nodded solemnly.

"But wait Keller," Jo said. "Don't you think we should come up with a plan first?"

"We already have one Jolanda—"

"Don't _call_ me that."

"Why?" Keller looked mildly surprised and curious. "I thought you used to go by that, and it _is _your real name you know. Your parents gave you that name."

"_Used_ to go by it Keller, that's the key word. _Used _to, and _your_ real name's Raksha isn't it?" Keller flinched, Jo continued. "That's what I thought. _Jolanda_ isn't _my_ name. So don't call me that." Ash couldn't see the look she gave Keller but the shapeshifter's eyes widened.

"Oh." was all she said.

Everyone was listening intently during the whole conversation, some confused some curious. Ash was curious.

"What do you mean not _your _name—?"

"Shut up Ash." Keller said, not taking her eyes off of Jo. "If she doesn't want to explain she doesn't have to. And besides—" she turned around, towards the city. "We have a dragon to slay."

* * *

Mary-Lynette's world was spinning. _The world's going to end._ Blaise had said. _6 months._

_It can't be._ Mare feebly protested. _It just _can't _be. _The mug of hot chocolate she held was shaking, spilling brown drops on the carpet. James and Nissa were blaming Blaise for… what were they saying? Mary-Lynette dragged herself to the current conversation.

"—can't believe we listened to you." That was James. "You see? Lonan was right. She's in _shock."_

_I'm in shock? _Mary-Lynette blinked. She blinked again. The mug was already falling, Minsi, the closest to her, had to steady her hands. That was when she realized that there wasn't an earthquake in the room; the shaking was coming from _her._

"It's all right Mare." She said. "I almost went into shock when I found out too." A warm sienna colored hand clasped hers, providing comfort. Minsi's brown eyes showed nothing but concern.

"O—okay." Mary-Lynette said. She had to get it together, fast. Before Lonan came back and killed Blaise. The problem was that she couldn't seem to wrap her head around the idea. She was scientific; a girl built on logic. Even after the whole incident last year she clung on to that trait. Though her primal instinct was shouting at her to believe, the practicality embedded in her brain was getting in the way, whispering the question she _needed_ to be answered: _how could the world possibly end?_ The stars hadn't shown any signs of galactic alignment, and there weren't any meteors close to Earth that were big enough to get past the mesosphere _and_ wipe the planet in _one_ blow. It wasn't possible. It just _wasn't._

She wanted to explain all that to the rest, wanted to show them that her thinking process was still working, but all that came out was: "H—how?"

Nissa switched her focus to Mary-Lynette, effortlessly putting on a mask of worry mixed with the same unperturbed look from before. "Are you sure Mare?" she asked. "Are you sure you don't want to go home? It's fine if you do, you don't need to hear the rest."

"No." Mary-Lynette was pleased to hear her voice finally come back, clear and sure. "I'm not going. I won't leave until I know _exactly _what's going on."

"Exactly?"

"_Exactly."_

Nissa sighed. "Fine. Blaise? I think _you're_ the only one willing enough to continue." She moved away from Blaise to sit beside Mary-Lynette on the sofa. Minsi was on Mare's other side and James settled back on the leather recliner in Blaise's side of the room. Blaise made her way to Mary-Lynette. Her smile faltered a bit as she looked Mare up and down.

"I—I am sorry for putting you through this." From the corner of her eyes, Mary-Lynette saw James roll his eyes. "But you have to listen to me Mary-Lynette. _You need to know."_

"Then tell me what I need to know." She kept her voice steady.

"All right then." Blaise's smile looked more genuine now. "You're pretty brave for a country girl eh? Anyway, yes, the world's going to end. We don't know any specific details but we're sure that it'll be soon. Six months at the most, at the millennia mark."

"The millennia mark?"

"Yes. The year 2000." Blaise took a deep breath. "You mean to tell me that you haven't heard of all the commotion going on?" Mare shook her head as Blaise shook her head at her. "Diseases are multiplying by the minute. Lower respiratory infections, HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, _cancer._ Some are treatable some not. Depression is as common as cell phones now and victims keep turning up every week. Suicide, homicide, attempted genocide. Humans are dying by the minute and there's _nothing_ the fancy doctors _or_ officials can do to stop it."

She continued. "Animal attacks are at an all time high. Coyotes, lions, tigers, and wolves are attacking everything and everyone in sight—"

"Which is weird because they're all peaceful towards humans." Minsi cut in, speaking in behalf of her animal brethren. "They'd only attack if their territory was invaded or if something was, like,_really_ wrong in the world."

Nissa locked gaze with Mary-Lynette. "Not hard to guess which one's the right answer, is it?"

Blaise cleared her throat. "If I'm not mistaken, this is _my_ lecture."

Nissa and Minsi mumbled apologies as Blaise sat on the coffee table in front of the couch. At the angle, Blaise and Mary-Lynette were looking at each other eye-to-eye. Mare swallowed once and nodded. "Go on."

"All right, well, like I said animals are going crazy everywhere, Box jellyfishes are stinging more people than usual, only a few make it out alive with _that_ kind of poison, scorpion and tarantulas have been found crawling in and out of drainage pipes, snakes are slithering in sewers and rats now reside in our water pipelines." She made a face. "Goddess knows what they do in _there."_

Mary-Lynette put down her mug of hot chocolate on the table as she made a face identical to Blaise. _Eww._

"The odd thing is," she continued. "More and more animals are disappearing. Thousands of species are now endangered and others are on the brink of extinction. Humans aren't an exception to the madness either. In fact, I hear it's a good time to work in a mental institute these days. Business is _really_ booming."

Blaise looked Mary-Lynette up and down. "Get the picture sweetie?"

Mary-Lynette gulped. "Is that it?"

The witch chortled. "Hardly."

She crossed her legs as she leaned farther back. "There's always the issue of the next massive climate change. Global warming is all the rage now, you know; temperatures are reaching highs and lows never thought possible." Blaise rolled her neck and crossed her legs again, the picture of ease.

"Winters are either freezing or scorching, summers are even more extreme and the ozone layer is breaking off piece by piece. Human governments are doing everything they can to stop it with all their fancy technology but…" she shrugged. "nothing's working, big surprise huh? Wild fires are seen more often than not, leaving disgusting flakes on the streets," The black haired vixen _icked_ and stuck her tongue out.

"Took me forever to clean that mess off my car… Hurricanes are rolling in, tidal waves are wiping out whole cities like they were made of those mini _legos_, and there's even a chance of California breaking off because of "plate-tectonics". Blaise continued with the same tone most people would use if they were talking about the weather or a movie. Catalytic indifference. She studied her nails.

"Earthquakes are becoming more and more frequent, fault lines are opening up, geologists are worried about so-called "dormant" volcanoes, lakes and rivers are either bone-dry or over-filled, and the sky is as foggy as ever." Blaise turned back to re-face Mary-Lynette. "I'm sure you know all about _that_, darling."

Mary-Lynette nodded, her mind was beginning to work and there was no more doubt of whether or not Blaise was saying the truth. She believed. "The stars and planets are all getting dimmer, I know. I've wondered about that myself. If I want to see the Pleiades of Taurus, or even Jupiter, I have to get my Orion UltraView binoculars. I used to be able to see Jupiter without _any_instrument, Orion's belt isn't as bright as before either; I always figured it was my eyesight but…" Mare blushed as she realized that she was babbling. Judging by Blaise, James, and Nissa's amazed and befuddled expressions, they didn't know what the hell she was talking about. Minsi, cute, dependable, oddly somber Minsi, was the one who saved her from the embarrassment of explaining.

"She's right, guys. Even Venus is getting blurry, and that's with _my_ eyesight." Minsi looked different when she was serious, her brown eyes held a sense of grim understanding in them, her childish tone was replaced with one fit for an elder. "The world's changing, going downhill, and dragging everyone and everything down with it. And _we're _the only ones who could stop it. And we don't have much time either."

"Wow Minsi. That was pure poetry."

Minsi's face twisted into something like a sneer, it didn't look natural on her. "Shut up Lonan."

Lonan was at the doorway, Galen right behind him. He held up his hands in mock defense "It was a complement, Min, geez. Little touchy aren't we?"

Blaise mimicked Minsi's sneer. "What's gotten into _you_ bird-brain? You seem… weirder than usual."

Lonan shrugged impassively. "Galen over here helped me see it your way." A sly smile plastered itself on the shining blonde's face. "So… what are we talking 'bout now?"

James scratched his head, a perfect copy of Galen's smile on his lips. "The end of the world."

"Ah, my favorite subject. Have you gotten to the prophecies yet your 'wickedness'?"

"Not yet, crow." Blaise considered something. "Actually, I think _you're _better at that part of the story. I'm getting a bit parched with all this explaining." She cast a look around the room before getting up. "I'll be right back."

"Care to get me a glass of water, witch?" Lonan said, making way for Blaise's retreating figure.

"Don't count on it." Then she was gone, Mary-Lynette could hear her footsteps carry her downstairs. Into the kitchen maybe.

"Well," Lonan was the first to break the silence. He clasped his hands together. "let's continue with class shall we?"

* * *

"I, Rashel, and Quinn will be the main offense. We'll hit it as hard as we can and, if possible, we'll aim for the horns." Keller was spouting out orders to the others. No one protested, they were all too busy trying to keep up with her. She was a panther; they were pretty hard to run with.

"Jo. You and Phil are on both defense and offense."

"Meaning—?" Jo huffed. Even spunky, up-for-anything Jo was tired.

"_Meaning_ that you guys will do your best to attack it with your witch fire. You have an advantage, a long range weapon."

"But we won't be able to get the horns even if we hit it head on." Phil managed a burst of speed to catch up with Keller. Ash and the others were right behind. "Our fire's not strong enough."

Keller seemed to realize for the first time that the others were lagging behind, she slowed down. "I never said to _kill it_ with your witch fire. I said _attack._ Distract it so we could get a chance at the horns. Ash? Daphne?"

"Reporting for duty." Daphne gasped. _Looks are seriously deceiving, _thought Ash. Daphne was keeping up with everyone else, blond hair windblown and face red from the cold air, black jumpsuit bending to her needs. It was weird for Ash to think that she was as normal as any other teenager a few weeks ago. He wasn't the only one impressed; Rashel shot her an approving glance.

"Nice job, Daph." She said. A genuine smile was tilting her lips.

Keller gave Daphne a smile then twisted to face Ash. "Ash? How about you?"

Ash grunted, increasing his speed. "Yeah, whatever, what she said."

With a roll of her eyes Keller turned back, resuming her job as team captain. "You two will help Jo and Phil with the distractions, but first, your main job is to keep the bystanders safe at all costs."

Ash and Daphne nodded.

"There are still the Midnight witches." Quinn's voice was as dismal as ever, but everyone in the group knew him long enough to scope out the excitement and anxiety underneath his bleak tone. He was enjoying this as much as the rest. "Who's going to take care of them?"

Keller put some thought to it then replied. "Jo and Phil will. Ash and Daph'll be too busy with the civilians." Ash opened his mouth to protest but Keller cut him off. "There shouldn't be much witches anyway, you won't be missing anything. Besides you just got back from a mission right? Perfect time to get some rest." He closed his mouth.

Phil nodded. "Agreed."

Jo cracked her knuckles. "Awesome. It's about time I get some payback."

They ran the rest of the way in silence. Boston was smaller than Ash remembered, or maybe it just seemed like it because they were running full sprint. They landed near the Laurence G Hanscom field, 20 miles northwest of Boston. Luckily, no one seemed to notice their little misadventure with the sky diving, the only problem is that they had to run twice the miles originally planned. It was about noon and Ash was sure everyone was tired, even the she-panther, they've been running for an hour. Again, wasn't much of a problem for Ash, Quinn, and Keller but it still used up some of their energy; Ash could tell the others were struggling. And they'll need _all_ their energy for the dragon. It was going to be a tough one—

Which reminds him…

"Wait, you said that the dragon has _three_ horns?"

Keller nodded. "That's right."

"So how old is it?" Rashel asked, jumping over a bus bench. "Less horns mean older and wiser dragons right? Are they more powerful or not?"

"It's an even tie, Rashel. The younger ones, like the one Iliana and my team fought, have more… raw power but the ones like this one, the one we're headed to right now, actually _know_ how to use it." She let this information sink in before she continued. "They've trained themselves, I guess, and they know how to hurt with their Power, they can target your weakness. And it hurts._Really hurts._ And—"

"—and they can switch forms like pros." Jo explained, earning herself a quick glare from Keller. "One second they can be a tiny fruit fly and the next…" Jo whistled. "Man, they're huge."

Keller looked suspicious. "How do _you_ know so much about dragons?"

They rounded a corner, getting close to their destination. They could afford to rest for a few seconds so they all slinked into a small alley. As Keller took a few breaths she looked at Jo, gray eyes speculating, her custom fit black-and-gray hoodie was rippling with her deep breaths. Her waist length hair was swaying while her denim-clad legs allowed her to lean on the brick wall.

"Well, Jo?"

Jo's highlighted hair was falling into her petite pinched face again, covering her startling violet eye. Her leather jacket was definitely ruined; a rip ran through her left sleeve. Her deep purple "Abbey Dawson" shirt was heaving as she fought to catch her breath and her black leggings were a bit wobbly, she was using her right arm to steady herself. Despite all that, she still looked otherworldly menacing as her dark brown eye glinted with her grin.

"I'm a Midnight witch remember? One of the best," She took a last deep breath. "there's not much that _I _don't know."

Keller didn't look convinced but the air around her was filled with grudging respect for the fiery witch. She smiled back.

"Fine then. I don't suppose you know how to beat that thing would you?"

Jo looked out the alley, half chocked then turned back. "Uh… sorry, that's not really my department."

"Guys," Quinn was at the edge of the alley looking out, gray sweater letting him blend in with the foggy mid-noon. Like always, he had everybody's attention in an instant. "It's in dragon form, and it doesn't look all that happy." Quinn steadied his voice, making it the dreary voice they all know and love. "Jo's right. It's _huge._"

Right on cue there was an ear-splitting roar followed by what felt like an earthquake that sent Ash, Rashel, and anyone else foolish enough to stand, down to the ground.

Ash cursed, rubbing his back. He could feel his eyes turn dark orange with annoyance. "What the hell did it do that for?"

Phil looked out. "I think it knows we're here, guys." The words weren't laden with fear or terror, just annoying calm. He helped Ash up. "It's waiting for us. Just look"

They did.

The dragon was in its natural form, to everyone's dismay. The thing had to be at least quadruple the size of a normal human, two times bigger than the last one. Its scales looked silver, platinum in its sheen, sparkling when the sun hit it just right. Illustrations from a time now long forgotten dotted its body; they looked like something found in Greek or Roman vases. Patterns laced with gold were swirling on its forehead, around the three horns, before it led down the dragon's spine column all the way to its tail. The wings were huge and, if Ash didn't know full well how deadly they could be, he would've thought them beautiful beyond compare. Its horns and teeth glistened madly as the thing turned its head their way. The group froze.

Blue eyes cold as glaciers met theirs. If Ash had human sight he would have missed it completely, but he didn't miss it and he was sure as hell he'd never forget this sight in his life. There was a ring around the two icy pupils, an outline of gold for each. It gave a certain shimmer to them. People could die of wonder looking at eyes like those. Ash shuddered.

People died all right, but it wasn't from wonder. Those razor teeth weren't red from cherry soda.

It roared once more and stepped closer, crushing trees and an unfortunate Honda CRV in its wake. The gigantic tail attached to the beast whipped and dented a building. The abnormal pair of eyes whisked side-to-side. Obviously, it was waiting for something.

Designed to mesmerize. Equipped to kill.

This wasn't going to be easy.

Rashel broke the stunned silence with whispered curses. "But how did it _know_? We only received information this morning; it shouldn't be _waiting_ foranything."

The group looked at each other warily.

Daphne cleared her throat. "Look guys, we have to go _now_. We _need_ to take that thing down before it does anymore damage."

Everyone nodded agreements, Keller got up. "All right, split up. You all know what to do. "

* * *

"MY BABY! MY BABY!"

"Miss! Miss, it's all right my friend is getting your baby, don't worry its okay. But Miss—Miss!" Ash grabbed the middle-aged mother as gently as he could while trying to pull her back into the current safe house, a recently abandoned warehouse. It was good enough for the job. The woman he was holding was about thirty-two, her hair, naturally brown, was red, Ash could smell the dye. Her green eyes were wide with alarm and terror. "Please mam, listen to me. Listen to me, your baby is safe with my friend, she's fully trained, all you have to do is stay here, and your baby will be here in a few seco—." Ash broke off as the door opened. A blond girl looking very much like a ninja walked in with a bundle snuggled neatly to her chest.

In seconds the woman was having a full-blown hysteria. "Thank… thank you… thank you so much… thank you…" she sputtered. Her knees buckled and, if it weren't for Ash, she would have fallen down. Daphne walked towards the woman then gently placed her load into the mother's arms. "Here you go, Miss."

The mother kissed her child's forehead then stood up and kissed Daphne the same way, and then Ash. A gracious thank you. Ash was sure his eyes turned light blue with pleasant surprise. The lady didn't seem to notice. "Bless you children. Thank you so much." She caressed her baby and then sat herself on one of the spare crates, green eyes tearing up with gratitude. Ash felt something inside his chest tighten. He made his voice creep around the obstacle in his throat and addressed Daphne.

"Are you okay? How are the others?"

Daphne blinked away some tears of her own and smiled. "I'm fine, a couple of bruises from hitting my head on the car's dashboard, but I'm fine."

"Dashboard?"

Daphne laughed. "The baby rolled under there, no, seriously. I have no idea how it happened. But you know what it did when I got it out? _It hugged me_." Another laugh. "It feels great to be able to do these kinds of things. There's a good feeling to it."

_I know what you mean, _thought Ash. The thing inside him constricted and he found himself grinning just like Daphne. They each took turns scoping out injured and petrified victims, that woman and her baby were the last ones according to Daphne. So now they could just sit and relax... but there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Wait, Daph, what about the others?"

Her smile fell instantly. "Not so good. Those other agents were right, it's a three-horn, and Keller's been going all out, still nothing. Rashel and Quinn have gotten in a few good shots at it but the thing just won't let its guard down. They're tiring out but the dragon's just getting started."

The ash blond vampire opened his mouth in surprise. "_Nothing's working?_ How? You mean to tell me that _none_ of our strategies are taking effect?"

"None."

Ash sat on a lumpy stray bag of dirt. "But… _how?"_

Daphne got snippy. "I don't _know_, Ash. If I did, don't you think I'd _tell_ you?" she took a deep breath and sat beside him. Her voice came out as a whisper "It knows all of our moves, Ash. _All of them."_

The two sat together in silent misery. Ash couldn't believe it. _None _of their tactics were working? This was the third dragon they've been assigned to execute. So what was the difference? They purposely did different procedures the other two times, just in case word got out about the attacks and the methods used. It was a good approach to the matter, it kept the enemies guessing.

So why wasn't it working now?

Ash felt something vibrate next to his lower calf. "Um… Daph? I think your cell's ringing."

"Oh. Oopsies. My bad. Damn it, these things are so tight…" it took a while but she managed to get the phone out of her pocket. She checked the caller ID and turned pale white, birdlike bones taut with surprise. She flipped it open.

"Rashel? Why are you using your phone? You _know_ they can track these."

Rashel was shouting on the other side. Ash could hear the dragon roaring from both the phone and outside. Tremors ran through his whole frame, and they weren't from the roar. If Rashel was calling it _had _to be bad.

"What? Hold on, I'll put you on speaker." Daphne tapped a button then set the phone in between her and Ash. "All right, you're on."

The voice on the other and was Rashel all right, and she was mad. Breathless, but mad. "Ash, you _idiot_. I've been trying to call your number, what happened?"

"I left it at base, didn't think it mattered." There was a rule on limiting cell phone use; Daphne was right about the tracking thing. "What's happening?"

"Well, first of all, the witches have arrived early and—shit." Muttered the voice. The sound of a phone dropping and cackling electricity. Then Rashel's voice from far away. "Why don't you aim that at someone your own size you little imp!" More electricity. The sound of a struggling was distinct, blows connected. Then, finally, came the faint thump of a light body falling limp on the ground.

Daphne looked torn between terror and laughter. "She must be _real_ mad to say stuff like that. She usually takes 'em down as silently as she can."

Ash stayed quiet, he just stared at the pink Motorola.

The sound of footsteps coming closer, then the phone was picked up. "Damn, witches." Rashel muttered. "Sorry about that, but I think you guys can tell how good things are going. Keller underestimated their numbers, Jo and Phil can't handle all the witches for long. How about you guys? Are the rest of the citizens safe?"

"They're safe." Ash answered. "There's only about… twenty-one in here."

"Good. There's going to be a change of plans. Is it okay if you two—?"

"Rashel!" shouted a deep voice. "Watch out!"

Rashel grunted into the phone. Ash could clearly imagine Quinn tackling her, avoiding another energy-ball by a hairs breadth.

"Get behind me, and hurry with the call. I'll cover you."

Feet padding the pavement, then Rashel's shaky "Thanks." Ash could hear her fingers fumbled on the phone; at least she didn't drop it this time. "Ash? Sorry, but it looks like you won't be getting any of that rest we promised you—" The phone cackled, they were breaking up. "Come… on! Not… much… we can't hold… much longer!"

Silence. Daphne looked at Ash helplessly, Ash was thinking. He didn't know what Rashel meant by _can't hold on_. She may have been talking about the connection but... but if they stayed and Ash was wrong, the rest were dead. He couldn't let that happen, even if he was still sore. There was only one thing to do. His eyes were probably changing color again, into something profound and thought-inducing. Rough violet-blue most likely.

Daphne took the phone and began talking, listening to Rashel as she received rough updates. The blond vampire looked around himself. The woman was still there, still whispering softly to her child's ear, a boy the same age as Ash was comforting his girlfriend. A small child was clinging to her dad and an old woman was constantly petting her Pomeranian. Most of the people in the remaining crowd were individuals, too scared to move or ask questions. Ash made a snap decision. He searched every face in the crowd meticulously.

"You, uh… with the tan jacket. Yes, you. Come over here."

A dark haired boy detached himself from the crowd and made his way forward. He looked about thirteen with a tan jogging jacket and matching pants. He stood a good four inches below Ash.

"What's your name?"

The boy's face dimpled with a small gentle wry smile. "Ethan."

"Ethan? All right, well, can you do me a favor kiddo? Can you stay here and watch the others for me?"

"Sure thing." The smile was still in place. "I should be able to do that."

"Great." Ash said. Ethan's tranquil eyes was the bright blue of sapphires, they betrayed not a drop of the terror this kid _should_ be feeling. He was the only calm one here.

The boy seemed to strike some chord in Ash, Ethan looked familiar but Ash was sure as heck he's never seen him before in his life. No time to dwell on that, though. Rashel would be blistering with fury if they were late.

"Great." Ash repeated, grabbing the boy's shoulders in a thank-you squeeze. "You'll be home soon, okay kid? You'll be safe soon." He met Ethan's gaze, his own eyes changing into deep green or hazel with dedication. "I promise."

Ethan nodded slowly, his smile turning into a concerned frown. "Be careful."

Daphne got up and slipped her phone back in her pocket. She thanked Ethan a few times and then the two were out the door. Ash was right beside her as she gave off her new information.

"They've been able to get a horn halfway out." She said. "Rashel said that Keller's been killing herself trying to get one more swipe at it. She and Quinn have been helping her but they keep on getting harassed by those witches _and_ they keep getting hit by the dark power. They figure Keller's used to it more than they are, she can stand it more effectively. They can't get that close without getting thrown backwards with that insane Power."

"What about Jo and Phil?"

"They're too busy with the other witches. They can't afford to let their guard down, looks like they sent _trained_ reinforcements for once." Daphne snorted. "I couldn't understand much after that because of all the static but Rashel says Jo's losing it, she has no idea how anyone could possibly know about her spells and attacks. Her methods are as unpredictable as she is, so it's practically impossible to know what move Jo will make, let alone counter-attack it."

She slowed down at the same time he did. Looks like they were both on the same page. "Ash, do you think… about what I said earlier, about the dragon knowing all of our moves… and now, when the witches seem to… to know how to counter attack every spell Jo and Phil throw at them… is it... is it possible—?"

"That we have a spy in our group? Maybe…" In truth, Ash was dead sure that someone was in league with the enemy. He just didn't want to tear the group apart when they needed all the help they could get. Plus, he was missing a vital question: who? Out of the thousands of agents and residents in Circle Daybreak who would stoop so low? Ash wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

* * *

The buildings around them looked like survivors of a 5-point earthquake. Ash reconsidered, they would have been _better off_ with a 7-point earthquake. The ground was cracked; cars were thrown aside like toddler toys. They stayed on Tremont St. then cut through the City Hall grounds, towards Washington St.

They were almost there.

Ash jumped a garbage can cleanly as Daphne fought her way through knee high grass and shrubs. Ash could hear the sound of fighting a few miles away, a booming soprano roar cut through the afternoon haze. Daphne covered her ears and Ash copied her actions. They made it a few more feet before it happened.

A voice called out, addressing the dragon. It was too far away for the two to know who it was or even what it said.

Daphne and Ash looked at each other, staggering in their run. At first, Ash thought it was just his imagination but then he heard Rashel yell: "OUT! OUT OF THE WAY!"

The next sound sent ripples down Ash's spine like ice cold water. His running stopped so abruptly he almost slipped. Daphne, on the other hand, _did _trip. She caught herself before she completely fell and gasped in horror.

"No."

A girl was screaming.

Not just any screaming. It was a chill-inducing, lung tearing, heart busting wail. A shrill keening that only a dragon with massive energy supplies could bring out. The scream broke off suddenly, turning into sickening gasping. The beast had given everything it's got. Ash could feel the scorching heat of left over Power from a mile away. He could only imagine what the target must be feeling. The very thought of pain that bad brought tears to his eyes. The worst part?

He didn't recognize the voice.

Another voice followed, Rashel's. "NO!" she dragged the word out. Ash's vision got even blurrier. Daphne's breathing hitched.

The air was thick with hostility and dread. In a daze, the two picked themselves up and resumed their trek towards the monster. They could see the silhouette in front of the setting sun, casting eerie shadows around the two agents. Ash and Daphne continued running. It was like nothing else mattered besides getting there in time to help their comrades and defeat the dragon.

Absolutely nothing.

But there was one thing that kept Ash from going any faster, just like how the same force was working against Daphne too. He wasn't scared of the dragon anymore. He was scared of what he was going to _find_.

He didn't recognize the voice, which meant only one thing.

The girl was human.

And now she's dead.

It was a civilian, it had to be, but how could both he and Daphne miss the girl? They double checked all the streets in risk of damage. Did the girl just turn up out of nowhere? Or was she hiding? Whatever the case, it didn't matter now.

No one, _no one, _not even Hecate Witch-Queen herself, could survive that kind of blast with such raw power. It was impossible.

Another mile down. Just a few feet to go.

"Rashel, Rashel! There's nothing you could do. She's gone." Quinn, Ash could recognize him anywhere. Unfortunately, he knew what Quinn was talking about; he also knew that Daphne knew. "Keller? Where are you going?"

"Keller!" Ash recognized that one too. Jo. "Move out, you'll be hit! Move out—!"

Then Jo screamed. Ash and Daphne stepped it up at the same time. Ash's feet felt like they were treading on hot rocks.

"JO!" Keller. "You _bastard!"_

Ash and Daphne finally arrived at the clearing but their relief disappeared in a second. It looked like _hell _in this place. Buildings have been toppled, cars were crashed, and trees that have stood tall and majestic for years were cracking. Everything had dents in them, some looking like dragon claws and others looking suspiciously like thrown bodies or avoided witch fire. Bodies were sprawled all around the place. Ash didn't know if they were dead or what, he was too focused on his teammates.

Rashel was bending over something in the middle of it all, holding her blade like it was a teddy bear; Phil and Quinn were covering her back and attacking any witch that got too close. Jo was nowhere in sight. Ash moved his eyes to Keller. The shapeshifter was kneeling beside something too, but she stood up and blocked it before Ash could see what it was. Keller was in front of everyone else, directly in the way of the dragon. She was in half form, half panther, half human. Her ears and tail were twitching in sync, waiting for the dragon to make the first move. Her eyes were living daggers.

She turned to Daphne. "Daphne," Her voice was as deadly and cold as her stare, too furious to speak normally. "Take her; you have more medical experience than anyone in this team."

Daphne rushed over and picked up the bundle Keller was pointing too. It was only when she was carefully walking towards Rashel did Ash get a good look at it.

_Jo._

The dragon moved closer, its own tail whipping in anticipation. Ash was impressed with his comrades; they got in a lot of good swipes. Its left calf looked scraped with multiple cuts from claws and blades and its snout was bleeding out a river. Abrasions interrupted the mystical patterns on its back and it was limping a bit. But its horns were still there. Keller stepped forward.

She was shifting.

Right now.

For a second, she wasn't there, just a shimmering misty image of a body. And then a panther appeared, with teeth bared and legs bunched. It was preparing for a jump.

It was preparing for suicide.

"Keller!" Ash yelled but it was too late. Keller jumped, straight at the dragon. Straight at the horns.

Ash felt the blast before it happened. The dark energy swirling inside the dragon, getting ready to fling it at Keller with one of those massive horns, the dragon narrowed its eyes. The panther didn't stop. Her teeth connected with the middle horn, at the same time the dragon released its Power.

"KELLER!" everyone shouted it at the same time, Keller held on.

Ash saw her jaw loosen as the dragon sent out another blast. The thing was weakening, that much was clear. The dragon was losing its main seat of power. Its middle horn. If Keller could just get it loose, if she could just hold on a little while longer... Keller snarled and growled but Ash knew the truth.

She was slipping.

Ash rushed forward. If Keller fell from that height, panther or not, she's dead. He knew it was a long shot, knew there was only a slim chance that he would get there in time, but he sprinted anyways. No one else was as close to the dragon as him and they all had problems of their own. He heard the sound of gasps and shouts behind him. Ash ignored them. He pushed his protesting legs forward.

Keller let go. She was falling.

He was close to where she was dropping. So close.

But he wasn't going to make it. He knew that from the beginning. He closed his eyes, dreading the inevitable thump of a hundred-ten pound panther connecting with the concrete.

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ WOW... that has _got_ to be the best/worst cliffhanger i did so far... huh... I think this story has more than 6,500 words in it, that's a new record for me :D *cue confetti* haha.**

**Anywayz hope u enjoyed the story, if u didn't tell me y in a review, it won't hurt my feelings (hopefully) =} if u did then thank you. I'd love to get a review from anyone and everyone it'll make my day and help boost my creative thinking =P not kidding... it helps me know that my typing isn't going to waste. BAI!!! :) and REVIEW =D**

**one more thing... do u guys want me to make the chapters shorter? This is pretty long and I don't know if long chapters are all that good. You guys decide and tell me in a review.**


	8. Chapter 7

**No ownership XP**

**HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!!! *waves flag in the air while simultaneously singing "God Bless the U.S.A" and dancing to "Yankee Doodle"***

**Well, this one has 5,496... enjoy and REVIEW!!!!

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**Chapter 8

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Ash could feel the shadow above him coming closer. Mere seconds stood between Keller and death.

He kept his eyes shut, sure that the next sound he'll hear will be the last from his good friend. The sound of ground breaking under her weight.

"YOU! GET READY!"

Ash's eyes opened to reveal a spiky haired boy running towards him. He stayed rooted to the spot, unable to summon up enough strength to even blink in surprise. The tawny eyed boy glared at him.

"Well don't just _stand_ there!"

As the boy said it he jumped onto the hood of a beat up SUV, using it as a springboard. He was in the air now, his long legs flailing. Ash's brain clicked together in time to get it. He moved mechanically, trying to find just the right spot…

_There._

He linked his hands together and braced for impact. The dragon's roar of fury was deafening at this distance but he held his ground. Ash had the chance to see the boy grin before his right foot landed on his connected hands. It stayed like that for about a millisecond before Ash put of all his strength in an upward push, sending the boy rocketing towards the dragon.

Towards Keller's body.

His leather clad arms were outstretched, ready to catch her. That was when Ash realized that she was a girl again. She must have phased back subconsciously, he thought. But was she dead?

The boy reached her, finally, and somersaulted in the air, making sure that her body was safe no matter what angle he landed in. He dropped cleanly on the right side of the dragon, missing its flailing tail by inches.

Ash was already on the move, but he wasn't running to Keller.

He was headed for the dragon.

He was surprised that it didn't blast the boy, or him, to bits, a dragon's eyesight was much more proficient than most. A few feet closer and he knew the answer. One of its eyelids was slanted, and it was kept that way by a jagged bleeding scratch.

_Keller._ Ash thought. _She _blinded_ it in one eye. _But the mollifying feeling inside of him was squashed when he realized what it was doing.

It was searching with its other eye, Ash was sure it had expected a nutritious meal after all its troubles. Plus, the middle horn was still there, still glistening with power, but it looked… distorted somewhat. If panther teeth, teeth strong and versatile enough to snap the neck of any prey in one bite, couldn't dislodge it Ash didn't know what will. But he had to try.

No, he's not suicidal. He knew that he wouldn't be able to get the horn out, he had no weapons, no strength and, if he was being honest, not enough skill. Ash merely planned to be a distraction, to stall the dragon from finding his lost prey long enough for the boy to check on Keller's pulse and get a decent distance away. He should be able to buy enough time for that—

"Where do you think you're going?"

Ash felt his back explode in agony just a second after the voice.

He fell, face flat, on the cold pavement.

_Witch._

Behind him, he heard the sound of maniacal laughter.

"Zo was right. This is fun."

Ash swiveled to face his opponent, ignoring the pain this simple action brought to his back.

It was a Midnight witch all right. Her orange-flame hair was long, reaching all the way down to her bony hips. Only clad in a red tank top and a black wide-rimmed skirt, she looked like any normal girl. She was the exact opposite.

The emerald eyes behind the impossibly long lashes glowed with something eerily similar to madness as she raised her arms.

Another mad laugh accompanied the next blast, but Ash was ready this time.

Still ignoring the burning sensation, he rolled backwards, a motion that helped him dodge the next green witch-fire and landed him on his feet. He had completely forgotten about the Midnight witches, that explains why the rest hadn't come to his aid earlier. They were too busy with all _these_ hostile brats.

The witch puckered her pink lips. "Aww. Why'd you dodge? It would have made everything _so_ much easier." She shrugged, perking up instantly. "Oh well. More fun for me."

Ash had the irresistible urge to cuss this clueless diva out. Instead he replied. "I _don't_ have time for this right now." As if reading his mind, the dragon started to move, he could hear its feet clawing at the gravel. With the witch focusing all on him, he couldn't even turn to make sure Keller and the boy were a safe distance away.

She chuckled. "Not _my_ problem pretty-boy."

Then she lunged, her manicured hands curving into claws. Ash couldn't help it, he smirked.

And Daphne said they were trained.

He immediately fell down on his back, the intoxicating adrenaline preventing him from feeling any pain for a few blessed moments, and landed a clean kick on the witch's mid-drift. Ash heard the air go out of her with deadly satisfaction; he even felt a smile on his lips when he felt the following thump of her body hitting the ground behind him.

He pivoted once again and firmly clasped the witch's arms, twisting them ferociously behind her back. Her screams only increased his annoyance.

"All right, witch. I want answers and I want them _now_." He applied more pressure to her arms, bending them at an excruciating length, to let her know that he was serious.

"What's your name?"

She cussed him out. He twisted her wrists. "Gah! Hailey. My name's Hailey you bastard."

"Good." He loosened his grip enough to relieve her of unnecessary pain. He didn't really _enjoy_ hurting a girl much, even if she was a witch.

"Now." He continued. "Who sent you?"

"None of your business."

More pressure. She hissed. "I'm not _stupid, _Hailey. Who's Zo?"

When she didn't respond he bent one of her elbows in an angle that had her hissing out a bunch of expletives. Some Ash hadn't even heard of. She said. "Leader, all right? She's our leader."

"Leader of what, Hailey? I'll stop if you tell me what you now."

"Rot in hell!"

Hailey struggled more violently but Ash had her tightly pinned to the ground. He used the time to search for Keller and the spiky haired boy. Finally, his eyes caught a motion in the inside of a barber shop just behind the dragon. He craned his neck but was immediately distracted by a wild thrashing witch below him.

He was getting tired of this.

Finally she gave up and spat on the ground. "Putrid vermin-lover."

Ash snapped her elbow.

Hailey's scream gurgled to an end when Ash pinched one of her nerves. It wasn't extra torture; it was an act of mercy, she wouldn't feel any pain when she fainted. And he'd make sure that her arm was taken care of back at base. Still, it would be nice to say that it was an accident, to say that he hadn't really _meant_ to cause her that much pain. But he did.

And it felt good.

No one insults his soulmate. _No one._

"Ash!" Daphne's voice chased away the last of his resentment, making room for the guilt to flow through him. _What had he done?_

"Ash!" She repeated. He turned to see Daphne still kneeling over Jo, but her back was erect as she pointed at something behind Ash. "Dragon!" she yelled. "Watch it!"

Ash was hit.

But on the wrong side.

Next thing he knew he was on the ground, spine screaming in agony, looking up into cloud-gray eyes under a shock of black hair. The black energy missed them by inches.

Ash squirmed to his feet. "Who… who are _you_?"

"No time." His cool voice betrayed nothing. The boys finely chiseled features showed no emotion at all. He turned to run. Ash followed.

Together, they dodged the dragon's blasts and whip-like tail, making their way towards their destination. A barber shop. Behind him, Ash could hear the struggles of his teammates. Rashel was right, Keller did underestimate the numbers. Big time.

_I'll be back to help them_. He vowed. _After_ he made sure Keller was alive.

One last jump over a fallen tree and he and the other boy were in the clear. The barber shop was right in front of them; it looked just like any other barber shop. It even had that rotating red-blue-and-white cylinder at the doorway. The only difference was the windows. They didn't stand a chance against that thick tail.

They jumped in, regardless of the clear pointy glass and looked around. It still resembled a normal ordinary barber shop on the inside. It had those adjustable chairs in front of floor-to-ceiling mirrors, the sinks for hair washing, and even those alien-looking helmets for hair styling.

Keller was on one of the chairs.

But she wasn't moving.

The spiky-haired boy looked up from checking her pulse. "It's about time."

"Sorry." The boy beside Ash replied, in a way that expressed no emotion what so ever.

"How is she?" Ash asked. He and the boy moved forward. Keller didn't look that pale, but her breathing was rapid and irregular.

He didn't need to be told, but the gray-eyed boy beside him said it anyway. "She doesn't have much time." He said "The venom's already making its way through her circulatory system."

"Venom?" Ash asked. He never knew dragons had _venom_.

The gray eyed one, the smart one, nodded curtly. "I didn't think it was possible either but… it's _inside_ her."

Ash sniffed; being lamia he had a more heightened sense of smell than most. The boy was right; he could smell the scent of black energy in Keller, slowing down her heart.

"Mal." The other boy said. "There's only one way—"

"No." Clipped and forceful. The boy named Mal didn't waste any time on his answer. "It's not controllable, and she still has a chance without my help. The venom's slow enough to give us..." he put his head to one side, thinking. "To give us about an hour to send her to some witch."

"You are a witch." He said. But Mal was already turning, ignoring him completely. The spiky-haired boy's tawny eyed gaze was fearless. They even seemed to have an inner fire in them; it sparked up when Mal turned. Apparently, he wasn't used to being ignored.

Neither was Ash.

Ash faced Mal. That was the first time he realized that he was shorter than him by about two inches.

Well. That was a first

Ash wasn't used to looking up when he talked. "Mal? That's your name, right? So what exactly _do_ you suggest we do?"

"Kierlan's going to carry your friend to the others and we'll follow."

Kierlan looked about to protest but Mal cut him off. "Sarah's in the clearing, do you really want to risk that?"

Kierlan shut it.

"Now pick her up and we'll get going."

Ash was completely clueless on what was happening but he did know that Kierlan was outraged. His black leather attire was spotless, and his dark brown pointing hair looked gelled to perfection. But his eyes showed nothing but hate. Hate for himself or hate for the other boy, Ash didn't know.

He swept Keller up quickly and gingerly, and then all three headed out of the broken window, prepared to dodge and fight their way back to the other side. They were half-way there too.

And that was when they all saw her.

She looked so puny, standing in front of the dragon with her sunny hair reaching just beneath her shoulders. She was walking towards it in an odd way, like she was sleep-walking. Her aquamarine eyes looked daze, still in the middle of REM sleep. If she wasn't glowing in her own pure mystical aura, Ash might've thought that she was one of the living dead, the kinds who just woke up out of nowhere and started walking around.

He saw Rashel's eyes widen and realized that her lips were forming a single word.

_Impossible_.

The girl spoke. "Guardian of the North, I call on to thee. Return to thy rightful place, I beg of thee."

"What's happening?" Ash asked. Who _was_ this girl? She was human, that was clear as crystal. And her voice… he's heard that delicate voice before but it was… it was _screaming_.

Ash felt his own now-deep blue eyes widen.

_Impossible._

Her teal tee rippled, convulsing. Her eyelids fluttered. "Tell me, celestial serpent, are thou not afraid of the prophecy? The sky is thy domain, the earth ours. Go now and the life of many, as well as yours, shall be spared. Go not, and thy doom is sealed."

Kierlan cursed from behind him. "Mal, it's getting worse. It's been years since the last time—"

He was cut off by the dragon's laugh, a deep bass sound that came from the throat. The whole clearing froze; even the wind had stopped, like it was holding its breath for something monumental.

The girl didn't move.

"Thy doom is sealed." She repeated. Her fragile body convulsed once more then crumpled in on itself. Rashel raced to catch her.

The dragon didn't hesitate. It leaned in for the kill, mouth opened and lined with sharp incisors, aiming its middle horn at the two girls. That close, the blast wouldn't _just_ kill them. They'd be blown to bits.

Literally.

And there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Daphne was too far away, so were Ash and Mal and Kierlan. Quinn and Phil were running, taking down the remaining witches along the way, but they wouldn't make it in time even if they sprinted. Rashel didn't have a chance to react.

There was no way they were going to get themselves out of this one. Not without a miracle.

And then the boy beside him did something so unexpected, so unreal, Ash almost didn't register it.

Mal reached into Kierlan's pockets, lightning fast, and drew out a dagger.

And then he slit his wrist.

The whole clearing was thrown into blinding light.

Ash's first thought was: _It's so bright, so… so_ blue_._

Everything was blue. Bright electrifying blue, nothing else was visible in the world. _Am I dead?_ He thought wildly. This dimension certainly felt like heaven.

Inch by inch, Ash could feel his strength come back to him. The injuries he got from last night's mission were fading miraculously fast. Regardless, he was still alarmed by all the blue that surrounded him. Was he really _dead_? Maybe the dragon changed its mind last minute and aimed at them. Then it came. An answer that fought its way into Ash's head and took out every other explanation like a windshield wiper. It stayed there in his mind, forcing him to accept the truth. To accept two simple words.

Two simple words that made all the difference in the world.

"Wild Power." He gasped.

The world disappeared.

Or, at least, all of the blue in the world did. Ash was kneeling somehow, outside the barber shop, blinking away annoying after-images from the light. Kierlan was doing the same as him, kneeling and blinking. Keller's body was in front of him with her head carefully resting on his lap.

Ash blinked a few more times. Then the ground crackled and slit in a thousand pieces, cracks flowing one after the other in an unreadable patter. An after effect of tremendous power. All the enemy witches in the area were on the ground and the dragon was on its side, gasping in huge painful breaths. Rashel was staring at it in something like shock, her blade thrown aside and forgotten. Her arms were around the sleeping girl now, holding her in a protective embrace. Daphne was doing the same with Jo who, Ash saw with gratitude and shock, was getting up and cringing from the tight embrace. Quinn and Phil froze mid-run. Mal was the only one standing up, ripping the hem of his beige long sleeve and covering his bleeding wrist with it.

Ash turned to him. "_You're_ the last Wild Power?"

He didn't turn. "Nice to meet you."

A sound of coughing behind him.

Ash turned and froze.

Another cough. Keller sat up. "Who—?" Her steel eyes landed accusingly on Ash. "Ash, what's going _on_ here?"

He didn't answer; he was too busy staring at her.

She was okay.

She was _alive._

The feeling of relief was too intense, he was sure that his eyes changed into a color resembling a pale baby blue.

"Ash? I said, what's going on—"

She broke off and seemed to see the dragon for the first time. Ash watched as understanding entered her face, followed by confusion. Keller gazed down at herself. Then she turned to Ash, expression tightly drawn to resemble nothing. "How?"

Ash said two words. "Wild Power."

* * *

"So," Mare began. "the world's going to end unless all four… what was that? Wild Powers? Unless all of the Wild Powers with the power of… of…"

Lonan scratched his temple. "Blue fire."

"Okay… blue fire."

James sighed. "Lonan I think you should run this by her again."

"Don't worry Mare," Minsi insisted. "It's pretty hard to get the first time."

"All right. Here's the prophecy again."

"Four to stand between the light and the shadow,

Four of blue fire, power in their blood.

Born in the year of the blind Maiden's vision;

Four less one and darkness triumphs."

Before she could stop herself she interrupted with a question. "What civilization was this? Mayan?"

Nissa stepped up to the plate. "Uh no. This is from the Hopi Indians but the Mayans had similar prophecies of their own." She put in a knowing smile. "Actually… the Mayans are the source for most prophecies, they're the ones who predicted the future studying only the stars."

Mary-Lynette sat riveted. The prophecy was compelling enough, and she had always been interested in ancient civilizations and their unique views of the world. They _had _been the first to understand the wonder and complexity of the stars. But this… this was real. Not just some text in a book she found in a library. _This was living proof that the world isn't what we really think it is_, Mare thought._ It's meant for so much more._

The only problem was that this was about the world _ending_.

"So how do we know if someone's a Wild Power?" she asked.

Lonan continued,

"One from the land of kings long forgotten;

One from the hearth that still holds the spark;

One from the Day World where two eyes are watching;

One from the twilight to be one with the dark."

"We've already found the first three. It's the last one, the "One from the twilight to be one with the dark", that keeps evading us like a mouse does from cats."

"And I'm guessing that's bad?" Mary-Lynette asked, the line from the prophecy: _"Four less one and darkness triumphs" _reverberating in her head.

Lonan didn't change his stern expression. "Real bad."

The whole room fell silent; each contemplating what would ensue if the last Wild Power was never found. The silence lasted until Mary-Lynette's mind popped up another question.

"What about the other side? If… how did it go again? If the Daybreakers have most of the Wild Powers on their side, why can't we win? What's to stop us from just invading the enemy territory now?"

Everyone in the room blinked. James was the first to gain a grim smile. "We didn't tell you yet did we?"

Minsi spoke up. "We can't attack because they'll kill us in one blast. Because they have the dragons on their side."

"D—dragons?" Mare stuttered. "Like… real dragons?"

"Yes, real dragons." Lonan's handsome face was twisted with a sneer. "They were the first true leaders of the planet. Remember the first world the Hopis were talking about? The one that ended in fire? Well, that was the shapeshifters time. The time when humans were still scared to wander out of their caves." The whole thing was starting to sound like a lecture. Mary-Lynette listened intently.

"The dragons were the rulers back then. Animal gods for the humans to worship. They were the most powerful of our kind, they had the ability to change forms at will, at any time they want. They were evil, drugged by power, until the witches, led by Hecate Witch-Queen, rebelled." From the tone he used, Mary-Lynette wasn't sure whether he approved the witches' actions or not. He looked torn. "The witches defeated them eventually, but not before the dragons activated all of the volcanoes on earth, along with the help of the rest of the 'shifters—"

"Fire."

"That's right, smarty-pants." His eyes were still distant, still stuck in the turmoil of his ancestors. But his smile was as cynical as ever. "Fire. It changed the earth forever, just like what the Hopi said. The witches put an end to it before it could get out of hand, thank god, and stopped the dragons once and for all."

Mary-Lynette was almost afraid to ask. "What did they do?"

"Oh, they just put them to sleep and buried them alive. Nothing too harsh. They let the youngest one live though, the dragon princess, with the rest of the shapeshifters. 'Your highness' over there knows what I'm talking about." He nodded towards Galen.

Galen ran a hand through his ruffled hair. "That's right. My ancestor was the littlest of all the dragons, not nearly as powerful as the rest, but she still had the ability to change at will. It was passed down to my family, but apparently it was diluted. We could choose our forms but only the first time, then we're stuck with it just like any other shapeshifter . And Lonan's also right with our history. The dragons were stopped by the witches and that led to the second world. The witches ruled for another ten thousand years, until—"

Mare jogged her memory a bit. "Ice, right? Was there an Ice Age?"

Galen gave a dazzling smile, his royal profile only enhanced by the sunlight streaming in from the window. "Right. An Ice Age and the Night Wars—"

"The Night Wars was when the vampires fought the witches. It was a long feud, about a few centuries, but it ended when Hunter Redfern had that truce with Maeve Harman. The vampires ruled for ten thousand years too, until the flood in eight thousand B.C. That was when you humans finally thrived. The Night People had gone into hiding then but… " Nissa's brown eyes darkened even more. "But it's almost been ten thousand years…"

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Huh. That's why all the commotion about the millennia mark. We humans are going to lose our world because…

"Um… what did the Hopi say will happen to this world? First fire, then ice, and then water…"

"Blood and darkness." Came Nissa's blunt reply.

Wow. Mary-Lynette thought. This just keeps getting better and better.

That was when Mare noticed Minsi again. She's been quiet for a while. Her normally straight and prepared back was slouched, giving no sign of listening to anything that was just said. Her eyes were blank and faraway, staring dazedly at the opposite scarlet wall. With a wrench in her chest, Mary-Lynette realized why.

There was a world for the shapeshifters. A world for the witches, the vampires, and even the humans.

But not one for the werewolves.

She opened her mouth to say something but didn't know what. What should she say? You'll have your chance at ruling the world soon? That would probably be the biggest lie of her life. But still… Minsi was still fighting for the good side, even if it meant continuing to be ridiculed as a second-class citizen.

Mary-Lynette's heart went out to the fair caramel skinned girl beside her. It truly did.

"Hello? May I enter my own room or what?" Blaise was back, swaying her hips in a way that should be illegal. She had a phone in one hand and a glass of water in the other. "Hey, bird-brain, I think it's for you." She gulped in some water from her glass as Lonan snatched away the phone.

"What's it about, witch?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Blaise sat back on her bed, ruby red lips curving up in a feline smile. "Just something about finding the last Wild Power."

* * *

Out of everyone, Jo looked the most ragged. Her leather jacket sleeve was fully torn now and her deep purple tee was ripped at the hem. Her hair was as disheveled as ever, some parts of it were even spiked up from all the energy she took.

She looked exhilarated.

Sarah, at least that was what Kierlan was calling her, was still asleep. Kierlan and Daphne were still bending over her, trying to wake her up.

Everyone else was okay, still in shock but okay.

They were in one of the alley ways again, doing some checkups. Quinn had already called base and informed them about the last Wild Power. The word should be spreading to every official look-out team. Daphne had insisted on a group check up, she even bandaged Mal's wrist for him and cleaned out most of the dried blood on everyone's face. With that done, the two newbies had no more excuse.

Keller turned to them. "So?"

Mal was leaning on the other wall, glancing at Sarah with a face made out of stone. He sighed, the motion causing the tips of his black hair to curl at his shoulders, and looked at the group. His eyes were gray, a shade darker than Keller's and, right now, it showed nothing. Not a single spark of emotion. "Mal. Mal Harman."

Keller was surprised at the Harman part, as was everybody else no doubt, but she continued with her interrogation. She looked at Kierlan.

"How about you?"

He looked at her from the ground, cynicism plain on his face. "You really don't know me?" Keller's eyebrows scrunched together. Kierlan sighed. "My name's Kierlan and _you_ must be my dear little cousin's wife. Pleased to finally meet you." He turned back to Sarah, leaving Keller wide-eyed and tight-lipped.

Amazingly, she let it go for the moment and resumed her questioning. Jo was sitting on a closed garbage can, muttering to herself about how much she was going to have to pay to fix her jacket. Quinn was still talking on the phone and Phil and Rashel were over at Daphne's side, helping her and Kierlan with their 'sleeping beauty'. Ash was sitting against the wall, thinking.

Unthinkingly, he tugged lightly on the silver cord. He calmed down a bit when he was sure it was as strong and tight as ever. A part of him was in 'sleep mode' resting after all the commotion, while the other was listening intently to what was going on around him.

Keller asking Mal how and why they were here.

Quinn explaining about what had just happened into a disposable cell phone.

Kierlan whispering sweet comforts to the now awakening Sarah.

Jo snapping her phone shut and telling everyone that the jet was almost here.

Daphne explaining to everyone how she was okay and that all Sarah needed was rest.

Rashel asking Kierlan about that whole prophecy thing she was talking about. Him not answering.

Phil asking Keller what was so special with being a Harman or a Drache.

Sarah asking with her delicate fairy-like voice. "What happened?"

He was attentive to everything, but focusing on nothing. Maybe that was why he was the first to hear the sound of claws scraping the gravel.

_Claws? _He asked himself.

He felt his body shudder. That sickly-sweet aroma was back in the air, meaning that the--the _thing_ was breathing well and fine now.

It was _alive_.

"Dragon." He said.

Everyone froze.

Everyone looked at him.

A roar cut across the silence and the group erupted into action. Jo redialed a number on her black VU and was screaming at the jet pilot to hurry up. Quinn shut the temporary phone and stepped on it, preventing any spy or other to receive information. Everyone else was on the move.

They burst out of the alleyway and came face to face with the dragon. This close, Ash couldn't help but be surprised all over again by its size. Twice the size of any other dragon he's seen, plus, the other's looked more like dinosaurs than dragons. Shorter legs and bigger heads. But this one… this one was a _real_ dragon. Like the ones seen on Sci-Fi and Fantasy movies, sleek bodied and graceful as a cat.

Its good eye was staring at them with hatred. Ash corrected himself with blunt horror. No, not at _them, _at one person in particular.

Sarah.

And she was such an easy target.

No one else seemed to notice who was at the top of the dragon's hit list but him. Kierlan was leading Sarah away now, practically carrying her, but all the dragon had to do was readjust its aim and blast...

Even as he thought it, it was happening. And Ash did the only thing he could do.

He pushed Kierlan and Sarah out of the way.

"Wha—Ash?" he shouted. "What are you—?"

He never got a chance to finish, or maybe Ash just didn't hear the rest.

The dragon attacked.

Keller's words slowly entered his head:

"The younger ones, like the one Iliana and my team fought, have more… raw power but the ones like this one, the one we're headed to right now, actually _know_ how to use it. They've trained themselves, I guess, and they know how to hurt with their Power, they can target your weakness. And it hurts. _Really hurts._"

And she was right.

Every nerve in his body was slowly frying. Ash could feel it. He was paralyzed and at complete mercy to the beast slowly killing him. He could even feel the thing Mal called "venom" flow through his veins too, tainting every cell in its path. And, though he was hyperaware of every pain and damage that blast caused, he couldn't feel anything else. Not his fingers, not his legs…

Not even the silver cord.

And that's what hurt him the most.

Numbly, he felt someone grab hold of him, yanking him out of the dragon's range. Ash felt the electricity, thankfully, leave him. The venom was still there but it was slowly going away on its own due to the peace of sleep.

With most of the pain gone he opened his eyes to see that he was being dragged by Quinn. Mal was behind them, pointing at the dragon. His wrist was bleeding again.

Through tired eyes, he watched as a bolt of lightning abruptly come down and strike the dragon. The blue silhouette convulsed again and again, surely it wouldn't survive _that_. They didn't stay to find out.

The sound of a jet landing registered in Ash's shutting mind. A few more minutes and he could easily smell the familiar scents of leather and peanuts. He could even feel the cool air conditioner blowing gentle wafts on his face.

Quinn set him down on the sofa and with a quick "Hang on." He was off to signal the pilot.

Ash's body suddenly felt ten tons heavier. He knew that he wasn't going to hold off the blackness much longer but he _had_ to do one more thing. He had to find his silver cord. It couldn't have been cut. _It couldn't have._

There. He thought. The string was there but it was taut, tight with the burden of hanging on to him. He tried keeping hold of it, but he just couldn't. Ash could feel his will shrinking, his strength weakening. He was losing his grip on both reality and the cord.

The last thing he heard was a roar outside the jet, louder than even the deafening engine.

He succumbed into the dark's numbing embrace.

* * *

**_Author's Note:_ What'd u think? REVIEW!!!!**


	9. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: ****NO OWNERSHIP BESIDES PLOT AND SOME NEW CHARACTERS!!!... Geez.. just leave me alone…**

**So sry to keep you guys waiting. It's been more than a week right? Wow I feel horrible about that. But I think I have writer's block :{ horrible ain't it? REVIEWS would be the best cure, thanks for asking. :} Anyways… Enjoy!! And REVIEW!!! It helps me, really.

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**Chapter 9

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"That was Quinn." Lonan's voice was toneless, void of anything but sheer stress as he placed the phone on Blaise's dresser. His face was a mask of puzzlement. "He broke off… said something about the dragon…"

The room stayed in silence until Minsi piped up, re-animated by worry. "Quinn? He's in Keller's squad right? Then that means…"

Maybe it was just her imagination, but Mary-Lynette could have sworn Minsi snuck a troubled glance her way.

Nissa followed her gaze. "We don't have to discuss that now, Minsi."

Blaise took another sip of water. "_I_ think we do."

"Discuss wha—?" Mary-Lynette broke off.

That was when the pains started.

Mary-Lynette doubled over, heaving.

Everyone in the room sat frozen for a second, unsure how to react.

"Mare?"

There was a terrible wrenching inside of her, starting from her neck and back. It took everything she had to keep her screams in. Everything started to go black around the edges of her vision. She was sure she was falling forward but she couldn't stop herself. The pain was unbearable.

Minsi caught her first, warm steady fingers catching her shoulders. "Mary-Lynette?" Her gaze was shocked and appalled. Shocked because everything was fine, or at least okay, just a second ago and appalled because, well, Mary-Lynette could only imagined what she looked like.

Blaise looked around the room. "What's happening?"

"You're the witch, Blaise," Nissa's cold hands were fumbling over Mare, trying to get a read on her temperature. "_you_ tell _us_."

Blaise didn't even make a nasty comeback; her normally penetrating gaze was clouded by worry and sick curiosity.

Mary-Lynette's throat was burning but she managed to choke out. "I'm… I'm fine."

It was true, sort of, the pain was receding slowly now. She could feel her fingers and toes. Her vision was gaining focus. Slowly, she straightened up.

She gasped.

Now it felt like someone was driving an invisible knife through her. It was like the stinging in her neck dropped while the burning in her stomach escalated, combining their harrowing sensation to pin-point one organ in particular.

Her heart.

This time, Mary-Lynette let the screams go.

"Mare?"

"Mary-Lynette!"

Hands. They were holding her, shaking her. Her screams were muffled now, she couldn't breathe at all. Mary-Lynette could feel her heart thumping weakly as she clawed at her chest. It was like someone was pulling something out of her, something vital for her survival.

"What? What is it?" Lonan's voice was oddly shaky as he picked up his ringing cell phone. Mary-Lynette barely registered it.

Her vision completely shut down, which was odd because she was more than sure that her eyes were still open. Mary-Lynette could still see the split bedroom and everybody in it; she could see Minsi and Nissa at her sides, trying to keep her upright. She could see Blaise cooperating for once and discussing in quick panicked tones about something with Galen. She could even see Lonan trying to talk into his phone in the midst of all the chaos.

"Jo? Is that you?"

But that was all a slideshow to her, irrelevant. She could see everything and everyone but they were faded. The only thing that caught her attention was the thing that was directly in front of her, stretching from inside her and leading… somewhere.

It looked, Mary-Lynette thought through the painful haze, like a cord.

A silver cord.

And it was pulling at her, her feet were aching to get up and follow it.

Everything fell apart before her, the world didn't exist anymore and her pains all but disappeared about as quickly as they had come. It was just her and the cord and whatever it led to.

Mary-Lynette got up.

"What about Ash?" Lonan's words cut through Mary-Lynette's trance as effectively as ice water.

"Is he okay?"

Mary-Lynette blinked, the cord temporarily forgotten. Everyone else was looking at Lonan now, with expressions ranging from curious worry to shocked understanding.

Lonan's usual bad-boy face paled. "Yeah, we're on our way back to base. But—" before he could finish, Galen unexpectedly grabbed the phone from him. "Jo?" he asked. "Are you sure everyone else is okay? You guys are all safe? What about the dragon?"

He let out a long sigh of relief; a sound that helped thaw everyone else out to some degree. Everyone except Mary-Lynette.

_Everyone _else? _Who was the exception?_

Mare's heart gave another painful squeeze as she answered her own question, she sat back down when she was sure her legs were wobbling. The silver cord was now the farthest thing from her mind.

_No._

She hadn't realized she said it out loud until Minsi reached out and hugged her. Nissa looked like she wanted to do the same but decided against it. Galen looked appalled and Lonan and Blaise had identical looks of sorrowful pity on their faces.

Lonan took back his silver phone. "Jo? That was Galen. Yeah, we're in Vegas. We'll be there when you get back." Then he closed it and looked around the room, at Mary-Lynette especially.

His drawn lips moved. "We have to go."

No one moved.

Mary-Lynette struggled to speak. "Ash." Lonan's face was warped, blurred by the onslaught of tears. "Is… is he?" something rose to her throat, prohibiting her from saying anything further.

Nobody said anything for an endless minute.

Lonan turned his head, not one to show weakness freely. "We don't know."

She felt another lurch inside of her, more painful than any other.

Mary-Lynette bent down her head as the tears broke free.

* * *

The outside world was hard to face for Mary-Lynette. It was just… overbearing to know that everything else was as it should be, that everything else had a sense of rightness in it, when you just feel so _wrong._

The sky was a vast cloudless blue, Mary-Lynette observed as she passed a window, the sunwas positioned right in the middle of it. Noon time, so the streets should be brimming with lively tourists having the time of their lives in the gambling capital of America. What she wouldn't give to be one of them.

They were going downstairs now, leaving the house. Everyone still wasn't speaking, even Blaise. She was the one leading them out.

"She's not coming with us?" Mare asked Lonan, breaking the uncomfortable silence. Her sobbing had stopped a good half hour ago so her voice was steady enough. Regardless, Lonan didn't lose the sympathetic glow in his black eyes.

"No. She's undercover, like we said earlier; no one would believe _Blaise_ was on our side." His tone turned mocking. "She's too Blaise to be good."

The witch pretended not to hear the last remark as she led the rest downstairs.

"I _prefer_ to be undercover, actually. It saves my status."

Mary-Lynette was still feeling a bit out of it, but it seemed polite to ask. "What do you do undercover?"

She looked both flattered and surprised. "I search the clubs. Most of the time, I get some clueless humans out of them."

"Hard to believe they trust her, huh?" Lonan muttered. Blaise stepped on his foot.

They took the front way out this time, through the shop entrance. No one said it but Mary-Lynette knew it was for her sake. Apparently, seeing your own blood would only increase the chances of fainting.

And obviously, Mary-Lynette's brain didn't want to accept the information she received about an hour ago, so instead of bawling her eyes out she was firing off questions.

"How long have you been undercover?"

Blaise blinked as they entered the witch shop. "Uh, not long. About two months or so. I joined when Gran died, figured I owed her something you know? I was at the Covenant before that." She made a disgusted face. "I _hated _that. Maybe that's why I signed up, I'd rather deal with _you_ guys," she glanced at Lonan in a not-so concealed way. "than go back _there_."

Mary-Lynette did a quick peek at the store as they passed. _Very witchy_, she thought. There were thousands of magical looking items on the floor-to-ceiling shelves. There were bottles filled with liquid of every color, boxes and ornate chests dusty with age.

On one side was a wall that held a startling array of stones of all kinds. Polished and cut to fresh and rough. Another held unique clusters of herbs and yet another held necklaces with gorgeous sparkling gems.

Dazzled as she was with all the merchandise, Mary-Lynette was unreasonably disappointed when she stepped outside. She had the odd feeling of waking up to boring reality.

She was the first one out in the sunlight; Lonan was next, the sympathetic line in his jaw still visible. Galen, Nissa, and Minsi followed, all with sullen yet expecting expressions pasted on their faces. Blaise lingered back.

"The car's over there." Lonan said, index finger pointing westward.

Blaise cleared her throat. "Wait a sec all right, birdie? I need to have a word with Mary-Lynette."

"Blaise—"

"I mean it, crow. It's _important_."

Blaise's stormy eyes met Mary-Lynette's for just a second before she turned on her heels. Mare, surprise currently overwhelming her grief, followed.

Once the door shut behind them with a soft thud, Mary-Lynette was thrust back into a world of spells and magic. She was absent-mindedly attempting to identify all the dozens of stones when Blaise said three words that had her attention in a snap.

"Ash will survive."

Mare was careful to not show any emotion. "No… I don't think he will."

Blaise arched an eyebrow as she leaned on the counter. "Oh, don't you?"

She nodded. "That… seizure I had. It was killing _me_." Mare flinched at the memory; it didn't feel like it was only an hour ago, heck, it didn't feel real at all. But it _was_ real. Her painfully pounding heart was proof of it.

"If… if _I_ felt that..." She didn't, couldn't, say the rest. Her voice was creeping towards hysteria.

"And yet you still hope, don't you?"

Mary-Lynette faltered. "What?"

Her eyes lit up. "You heard me. You just can't admit it."

"I… what?"

A sigh. "He's going to live, Mary-Lynette. You're just afraid to hope." She tilted her head. "Actually, to be more specific, you're afraid that you'll hope… and be wrong. Am I getting any of this right?"

Mary-Lynette's tongue didn't want to work with her; numb with shock, she guessed. So she just stood there staring at Blaise who, in turn, was staring at her.

_Afraid to hope?_ She thought. _That's insane and impossible and irrelevant and—_

She's right.

It was all simple really, once Mare's mental outburst faded. She _was _afraid. Terrified. Mary-Lynette wasn't the kind of person you could blind-fold and expect to follow just like that; she didn't have that kind of faith.

"And what makes you think he will make it?" she asked, the hysteria still obvious in her voice.

Blaise was lost in thought. "I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?"

"How do you know he'll make it?" she repeated.

"Oh. I don't."

Mary-Lynette turned to leave.

"But I do know this."

Mare's steps slowed to a stop.

"If _you_ don't think he'll make it, then he won't. That's guaranteed."

She looked over her shoulder. "And if I do then he will make it, right?"

"Bingo."

"Huh. Never would have thought you were the sentimental type Blaise." Mare said, taking another step towards the door.

Strong lean fingers wrapped around her wrist.

"Don't _insult_ me, Mare. I'm trying to help you."

"Really? How Blaise? Because, as far as I can tell, you haven't done _anything _to 'help'_._ And I need to go."

She could see hesitation flicker in the witch's eyes and finally, reluctantly, Blaise let her go.

"You're just lucky I like you."

She stuck her hand inside one of her jean pockets, searching. Mare was just surprised that there was something in that skintight death trap. Blaise's fingers soon returned, wrapped around a tiny flask of honey colored liquid. Intrigued, Mary-Lynette held her hand out.

"What… what is it?"

Blaise gave it to her with no resistance. "You'll just have to find out on your own."

The bottle was about as tall as Mare's index finger, and approximately an inch wide. She swirled the golden contents. "Excuse me? What do you mean I have to find out?"

"I _mean_, that you have to trust me. And yourself, for that matter." She walked past Mary-Lynette to the door.

"But…" she said. "I will tell you this. That is to be used when and only when necessary, when you have nothing, yet everything, to lose."

"Um… I don't get it."

The vixen's hand turned the doorknob as she chuckled. "Me neither, but _you_ will… eventually."

"Wait a second." Mary-Lynette demanded. She was next to Blaise now, her hand stopping her from opening the door. "Why are you giving this to me?"

Blaise shrugged, sending ripples down her ruby shirt. "I don't know. But it wasn't _my_ idea I'll tell you that."

She opened the door, successfully avoiding any other questions. Five impatient and worried faces turned to them.

"Now get going." Blaise said, and then she turned to the others, Lonan in particular.

"I hope you'll keep her safe this time, crow."

She nodded to the rest and, without another word, she closed the door.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Mary-Lynette was sitting in the middle row of a black Dodge, the kinds that can seat up to nine people. She and Minsi were in the middle and James and Galen behind them. Lonan glanced over his shoulder, meeting her gaze.

"Back to base."

"Eyes on the road, Lonan. Ninety miles-per-hour isn't exactly inconspicuous." Nissa was riding shotgun. Lonan mumbled something incoherent.

"All right, all right. _You_ give her the basics then."

The car slowed, though Mare was sure it didn't even touch eighty, as Nissa turned her head.

"We have a base here in Vegas; it's our main one in this country."

"Why in Vegas?"

"Well, mostly because nothing much stands out here… its Vegas after all, you could see a tiger in the street and assume that it's part of a show." She smiled as she shrugged. "The humans here are more accepting about those kinds of things, that or they really are clueless. Either way, we could get away with a lot of stuff in this city."

"Night People like this town for that reason, so this city has possible allies for us too. Like Blaise. Most of our recruits are here, doing their best to keep the Night World a secret by keeping humans away from the hostiles." She paused; making sure Mary-Lynette was still listening. "And there's always the fact that Lord Thierry lives here."

Lord Thierry, Mare knew enough about the Night World to know that he was a big part of it. He just might be the reason she was here if what Lonan said was true.

Not wanting to pry any further, Mary-Lynette asked the most basic non-nosy question she can think of.

"Are we there yet?"

Sensing her change of attitude and humor, the others relaxed as Nissa chuckled.

"We'll be there in about half-an-hour." She looked at the speedometer. "Provided we don't crash, of course."

That helped alleviate the tension completely, even Lonan laughed. He and Nissa were playfully chastising each other now, arguing about what the ideal mph for humans was. Galen and James were having their own conversation up back, and judging by the way they were whispering it was about something only they know. Of course, the word "soulmate" did reach Mary-Lynette's ears. Assuming it was about her, she let it slide.

Minsi was still quieter than usual; her short thin fingers were playing with her messy brown hair. It was tied up in a poofy bun, upping her over all cuteness. Her chocolate eyes were staring at her mud-ridden sneakers.

"Hey."Mary-Lynette was careful to keep her voice quiet, not knowing if the others should know. "Are you okay?"

Minsi stilled for a heartbeat, then looked at her. She was smiling.

"Of course. Why?"

"Well… you seem less… yourself…" Mare slowed, she didn't know if what she was saying was true, after all. Maybe Minsi _did_ act this way, with all the drastic mood swings. She's known this girl for all of twenty-four hours.

"Just worried, I guess." The small smile was still in place. "If that dragon survived a Wild Power…"

Oh.

"Oh." Mary-Lynette let it go.

She focused on other things as she turned her head to look out the window. The glass was tinted, so there wasn't much to see, not much to get her mind off of the current issues. The vial Blaise gave her was intimately secured in a pouch inside her backpack; Mare was trying not to think about that now, but how could she not?

"_But… I will tell you this. That is to be used when and only when necessary, when you have nothing, yet everything, to lose."_

Nothing, yet everything, to lose? Mary-Lynette had no idea what that meant. And she hadn't asked the others about it either, she didn't plan to. This kind of thing struck her as "secret". And what Blaise said about her… she was right. She didn't like hoping, it was just too risky for her. But if what Blaise said was true, she was gonna have to try.

For Ash's sake.

She owed him that.

* * *

The house was _huge_.

"_This_ is base?"

"Huh? No, base is behind it." James said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's Thierry's mansion. Excuse me," James motioned for Minsi to unbuckle herself and scoot closer to Mary-Lynette, allowing the two boys to get out of the car.

"Actually, it used to be base." Galen said as he stepped into fresh air. He helped Minsi and Mary-Lynette out of the car, forever the chivalrous knight. "Back when Circle Daybreak was a small society." He shrugged. "Guess word got out fast."

Mare was still staring when she got out. The driveway was dotted with black roses on every side, she might be wrong but Mary-Lynette thought that this gave some kind of indication as to what Lord Thierry was. Roses for made-vampires.

Be that as it may, she still couldn't get over the humongous _size_ of this thing. This was for a _small_ society? All of Briar Creek could move in, along with dozens of guests, and even those guests could bring guests.

"So base is…" Colossal? Gigantic? "Bigger than this?"

"Much bigger." Minsi was reanimated now; there was even a bounce to her step. "There are lots of us now, from all over the country. Maybe all over the _world."_

She was so cheery it was almost false. Mary-Lynette had her bets on mood swings. Oh well. At least she's back.

"Really?" Mare asked, trying to keep Minsi talking. It helped get her mind off of certain things. Like the reason she was here in the first place.

"Yeah. We're all one big family in this place, regardless of skin, size, or looks. Everyone's connected." She said the last word almost ironically. Minsi turned her head. "Like you, for example."

Mary-Lynette eyed the stone pavement. "Huh?"

"You mean you've never seen the silver cord? It's supposed to connect soulmates with each other."

Well. That explains a lot.

"This… silver cord, it doesn't well…" She was afraid to say it, to think it even, but she had to know.

"It doesn't… _break_ does it?"

She saw the sympathy and sorrow back in Minsi's soft brown eyes. She kept it together though, and Mare could see that she was preparing to answer the question when they reached the front door.

Minsi took that as an opportunity. "Um, well, so this is the front door," It was one of those double doors, the kinds that could open both ways. Above it was a beautiful stained glass window, decorated with a single black rose in the middle. Swirls danced within its transparent petals.

"Yes, Minsi, I'm sure Mary-Lynette's never seen a door before. Rare species aren't they?"

"Knock it off, Lonan." Nissa warned. "I'm sure Minsi was getting somewhere."

The she-wolf was already rambling on. "So you know how we said that the base is bigger right? Well it is. Much, _much_ bigger, it's practically a city. And you see how there's a forest behind the house right? Well, it's out there."

Nissa rang the doorbell. "You'll get all the information you want later, Mary-Lynette, but not now. Now's the time for introductions."

A college-aged guy answered the door.

"Back already?" he asked. He had a soft English accent, like a butlers, his suit was the kind politicians wore.

"Your group only left this morning and... Mr. Vasco?" he looked at Lonan, showing a flicker of polite surprise. "What brings you back so early?"

Lonan gestured to Mary-Lynette then shrugged. "Had to fight off a couple werewolves. So what's up with you?"

Nissa interrupted. "Nilsson, we have to get inside. Our daily reports are due."

The butler called Nilsson stared at Mary-Lynette for a whole other second before stepping aside.

"Very well, Miss Johnson."

Once inside, the group weaved their way through the massive mansion. They passed dozens of rooms. There was one with geometric furniture of very color, with art fit for the Louvre museum. A dining room with a mile-long table, fit for a king. Bedrooms with themes for every personality, there was even a game loft.

They were passing another hallway when a girl with yellow flax hair descended down the spiral staircase. She was wearing a white linen blouse and a pair of faded jeans. Normal teenaged clothes. Her face had the look of a person who's seen it all, regardless of the youthful joy in her gray eyes. The flawless tan was cut only by a red mark streaking across her left cheek.

"Oh, hey guys." She said. "You're done already? So what's Blaise up to—?"

Her gaze fell on Mary-Lynette. She smiled politely, gray eyes sparkling. "Who's this?"

Mary-Lynette felt her cheeks redden. She could just imagine what this gorgeous girl saw. A human girl with damp dark brown hair plastered against her cheeks. She hadn't changed since the werewolf attack, a fact she only recalled now. Her sweat jacket was surely ripped, as was her black T-shirt, and her jeans were still smeared with blood from that wolf bite. She was embarrassed all right.

And that was before she knew who this girl was.

"Lady Hannah." Lonan said. The others swept her courteous bows and, after flushing like a tomato, Mary-Lynette did the same.

"Lonan? It's almost been a month hasn't it? I thought you were supposed to be watching Ash's sisters and…"

She cut herself off.

"Oh… so _you_ must be Mary-Lynette."

Mare froze, completely clueless as to what to do with royalty, which obviously, this girl was. Lonan wouldn't show this much respect if she wasn't. And her name… Lady Hannah. She was sure that was one of the names Kestrel had put in her list. Lord Thierry's soulmate.

Before she could respond, Lady Hannah took one step and hugged her.

"Don't worry, okay? Ash will be fine." She exclaimed. Slowly, Mary-Lynette wrapped her own arms around Hannah, fighting her tears.

"It'll all work out, trust me."

And, for some reason, Mary-Lynette did.

She stepped back.

"We should get all of you to Thierry first and then we'll go back to base for some rest."

"We have to go to base?" Why? There were thousands of perfectly good bedrooms here.

Hannah must have known where she was getting at. "Well, it's precautionary I guess. You see, the only ones who sleep here are the guardians. They're in charge of making sure no one but Daybreakers enter." She motioned for the others to follow her upstairs.

"She's right Mare," Galen said. "and besides, it's much easier to live at base. It's like a city there."

"_I_ said that." Minsi pouted her lips.

They were halfway up the spiraling stairs now, their footsteps the only sound in the room. This room had a blue-on-top-of-white wallpaper. With matching paintings and sculptures that seemed fit for Roman emperors, it looked like the perfect Victorian estate.

The window on the top of the staircase was arched with crystal-clear glass, pouring with the orange rays of sunset. Mary-Lynette's hands were on the last of the alabaster banisters when Minsi stopped in front of her, causing Mare to walk straight into the back of her head.

Everybody else turned around.

Mary-Lynette saw Minsi's tiny button nose twitch. "Minsi?"

Her nose twitched again. "Do you guys smell that?"

Hannah looked around. "Smell what—?"

That was when the window exploded.

Right in front of Lady Hannah.

* * *

Jo was dying.

Of boredom.

She was seated on the leather armchair sideways, legs and head resting on the plush arms. Her petite legs were swinging upwards in a rhythmic motion; the hair she loved, yet hated so much was in her face again. It was for the best anyway, she knew her eyes were pretty flat with boredom. An expression she didn't wear too often.

The jet should have hit 400 mph a few minutes ago, just in case the dragon was following. Though, Jo was sure it wasn't. Something _that_ huge would have out flew this sorry excuse of a jet as easily as it could flap its massive wings. It probably turned the other way. Why? Jo didn't know, nor did she care. She wasn't in this to battle a better-looking "Godzilla" in the air, she was still sore from all the work. Though, if asked, she'd never admit it.

The rest were scattered about the room. She could feel Keller watching her from her self-proclaimed alcove by the window, worried about, Jo was surprised at this revelation, both her mental and physical health. She just wished she'd get over it. From behind her, she could hear Rashel and Quinn questioning the three new people… Sarah, Kierlan and some other guy, the Wild Power. Jo wasn't all that good with names.

But her hearing was pretty fine.

From this distance she could hear the guy whose name she couldn't remember, the gray eyed one, explain how they got there. Turns out they were looking for Circle Daybreak members to help them with the whole prophecy thing with blondie.

_Interesting._ Jo inscrutably turned her head, easily eavesdropping with the angle.

"—started a week ago." Gray eyes was saying. He sounded like he was discussing a funeral. Really, has this guy ever heard of 'emotion'? Jo wiggled a bit.

"The visions?" Quinn asked. At least _he_ showed some feeling.

"Their dreams, actually. It only happens when she sleeps."

"But she wasn't sleeping. Isn't that right Sarah?" Rashel was sounding delusional, Jo smiled.

"You were hit, you had no pulse. How did you just get up?"

Then came blondie's princessy voice. "I… I don't know."

"Rashel." Quinn warned.

Jo could hear the sound of leather brushing against fabric. Kierlan must be holding Sarah. She didn't hear it, but she was sure as heck the other guy stiffened.

"I'm sorry." Rashel whispered. Jo could imagine her laying a light hand on Sarah's shoulder for comfort. Then she was back to business.

"That still doesn't explain how you got here."

A blunt sigh. "We came here by plane; it was the only way to get out of San Francisco fast enough. We left because we thought we were being hunted."

_No shit._ Jo thought. It was pretty hard to stay undercover with a prophetess, a runaway prince, and a damn Wild Power. But, they did get off easier than the others. At least no one managed to catch them.

Yet.

Rashel was still in investigator-mode. "By who?"

"We don't know." Kierlan said. "Sarah would just wake up in the middle of the night and start talking about the destruction of the world and stuff like that."

Jo could feel the heat of Sarah's blush from where she sat.

Quinn pondered that for a moment. "What have you seen?"

"I don't know. I never know." Sarah sounded frustrated to the point of tears. "_I_ don't control my dreams, somebody else does. Somebody else uses me. My voice, my head. And when their done I just feel... tired."

Wow. Creepy.

Jo pulled out her iPod, a little bored with eavesdropping. After putting on the purple 'Gummi' earphones she turned to other matters. Like the passed out lamia on the couch in front of her.

Ash had taken a hit for the blondie, Jo both respected and pitied him for that. She herself did the same thing and let her be the one to tell you, it had hurt. _A lot_. She was pretty sure she was out, or maybe even dead, before the Wild Power did his thing with the blue fire.

What's more surprising was that she did it for Keller, an action she still didn't know the cause of. Maybe it was just the adrenaline. Whatever it was, Jo had no idea why she did it.

It was a good fight in the clearing though, Jo was glad she didn't miss all of it. But she was pretty pissed that those wannabes knew how to counterattack her spells. She shrugged it off. They probably got lucky. Anyway, they were sending over some backups to clean up the mess they made.

Not that there was a _big_ mess. All they had to do was fix up the place, erase the memories of all the witnessing civilians, and gather any information they could from the remaining sane witches. Yeah. They got the easiest job in the business.

The ash-blond vampire was out cold but he wasn't dead. Jo checked his pulse herself, faint but not completely out. She was worried, sure, but she knew he had slim chances. Overall Ash had three options:

One, the Witch Child, Ilianna, could possibly heal him. Jo was sure she was the only Wild Power who could heal. The one they just found certainly couldn't. He healed most of the internal damage when he used the blue fire; Keller's revived no-fun personality was proof of that assumption. But the cuts and bruises were still there, the Wild Power—Mal, Jo finally remembered—just dulled the pain. Like some two-legged, living aspirin. Ash was just lucky there were three witches on board, with decent herbs and supplies. Or else the venom would have taken him hours ago.

Two, he could be revived by the insanely gifted healing witches back at base. Jo's best friend was the best one in that profession, and the youngest. If Alixia, her friend's name, couldn't fix him up… Nyx knows who can.

Well, there's always the third option.

Option number three: he died. Simple. Easy to live with.

Personally, Jo was putting her money on number three. But, who knows? Ash was still breathing. They were heavy, labored breaths but breaths all the same. If he survives the next two hours then there's a fifty/fifty chance he'll get out alive. Besides, she had done him a favor already. She called Lonan, the watcher with, um, what's-her-name. Ash's soulmate. She figured she deserved to know. Plus, Lonan had said that they were in Vegas. If Ash pulled through, he was in for a big surprise.

Jo turned on her iPod and let out a long even breath as A. Johann Pachelbel's "Canon" pounded into her ears. The others would probably never have guessed of good old wild and crazy Jo to enjoy classical music, although she was still a big fan of alternative and punk. Then again, the others didn't know much about her. Period. Which was all well and good, if Jo had wanted to spill her heart out to some random stranger she would have gone to a therapist. At least one of them would have gotten paid.

She looked at her violet wristwatch. Yup. Two more hours 'till they land in Vegas. She could use a little R&R. Jo straightened herself, placing herself just right so the plushy sidearm could act as a plushy pillow.

Jo cranked up her iPod, and she swiftly fell asleep listening to one of her favorite songs.

* * *

**_Author's Note_: ****Just saying: I will continue this series until I am satisfied with an ending. I promise to make it to the Apocalypse, even if this continues through all of next school year. If anything, I'm dedicated. :}**

**And to everybody that reviewed, a big THANK YOU!!! You have no idea how much you've helped make this story what it is :} I'll do my best for ur entertainment :]**

**Anyways REVIEW!!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!!! REVIEW!!!!!!! It'll make me feel better…**


	10. Chapter 9

_**Disclaimer**__**:**_**First**** off: NO OWNERSHIP…**

**Second****: ha… ten days since last update?.... man, I am just plain horrible aren't I? For punishment I allow anybody to tell me off in a REVIEW… go ahead, burn me. I deserve it. :{**

**Third****: Special thx to ****Untamed Rose**** for 100****th**** review :] *applause as confetti drops along with a promising piñata* WEE!!! 100 Reviews!!! I'm so happy. XD**

**Fourth****: I'm going to stop babbling so u could read… Enjoy!!!

* * *

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**Chapter 10

* * *

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Not thinking about what she was doing, Mary-Lynette dove towards Lady Hannah. A single, straight leap had her in front of the dazed girl, fully prepared to shield her from the millions of crystalline shards that were flying out.

Hannah's arms, sporting a few cuts, were trying to cover her face. She looked at Mare with slightly widened gray eyes.

"Mary-Lynette?"

Mare motioned for her to get behind her back.

The floor-to-ceiling window was now shattered, and once the rain of glass was over, Mary-Lynette knew why.

She heard Lady Hannah breathe out "Oh, goddess." behind her as the woman straightened.

Yes, a woman. How she jumped through a two-story window, Mare had no idea. She was probably in her early twenties, with auburn hair cut in uneven lines across her shoulders. Her burgundy sweatshirt and beige khakis were pierced by dozens of stray glass pieces, drawing out miniscule beads of blood. And, although Mare was sure all those cuts stung, the woman laughed as she looked around the room.

"Funny how easy that was, eh?" She spoke with a slight British accent. "A few jumps on the right branches and you've got an ambush." She flipped her russet hair as her hands went to her hips. If her clothes weren't already ripped, Mary-Lynette would have thought she was posing for _Vogue_.

Lonan, the only one with enough animosity to get over the shock, cut to the chase. "Who the hell are you?"

She looked him up and down. "My dear boy, I'm no one _you_ need to know. But she," She jabbed a finger over her shoulder, towards Mare and Hannah. "would do well to refer to me as her captor."

Minsi spoke up. "Over our dead bodies."

The woman tilted her head, pretending to think about the offer. "Well… if you insist."

That was when she vanished.

No, really. The place where she was standing now had no sign of her, at least, for a second and a half. Then another body appeared.

_Cat,_ was Mary-Lynette's first thought. Before she could think anymore, the thing straightened, revealing that it was in fact an auburn she-puma. Her fur shone red in the glowing sunset, and with her ears pricked and eyes shining green with expectation, she looked absolutely stunning. But, beautiful or not, Mary-Lynette wasn't interested at all about the thing's appearances.

She was interested in what it was holding.

The woman must have pulled it out of her pocket in the last moment, before she shifted, because between her teeth was something Mary-Lynette's only seen in the movies, she had to do a double-take just to make sure she wasn't just seeing things.

She wasn't. The ticking was enough to reassure that.

A time bomb.

The puma looked like she smiled, and with her evergreen eyes shining, she tossed her head aside so the bomb was sent across the hall. It squeezed through the banisters and dropped to the first floor with a short thud.

With the bomb out of the cat's mouth, Mary-Lynette could easily see the sharp edges of inch-thick teeth in between her lips. She purred as she saw how stricken they all were.

And then she pounced.

Towards Mary-Lynette.

Somehow, Mare managed to shove Hannah farther behind her back while simultaneously retrieving her dagger from her bag's side pocket. She pointed it at the great cat as she landed in front of her. The puma hissed in frustration. She couldn't talk in this form, but it didn't make a difference. Mary-Lynette could see her message from the impatient pine-green eyes.

_Drop it, unless you _want _me to kill you._

She kept the dagger steady.

With a flick of her tail, the puma pounced once more, heading in for the kill.

Or, she would have, if a certain caramel wolf didn't tackle it mid-jump.

The two animals rolled in one giant ball of fur before crashing into the wall. The puma took the brunt of the impact, but Minsi was limping when she got up. Both of them started circling each other. A clash of the predators.

Watching them snarl and growl at each other, Mary-Lynette noticed just how small Minsi was compared to the mountain cat. If it came to strength and blows, Minsi wouldn't have much of a chance.

But Minsi's brave stand had given everybody else a second to recuperate. A second that had Nissa and Galen flying down the stairs to retrieve the bomb, much to Mary-Lynette's relief, and that had Lonan and James gather enough bearings to jump into the fight. Mary-Lynette had planned on joining in when Hannah abruptly yanked her arm in the other direction.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping you away from the fight."

"Why?"

"Because they can handle themselves. Now stop struggling." Mare stopped her squirming, Lady Hannah's tone was as gentle as ever but the voice of authority was nearly unmistakable, and if she was being honest with herself, Mary-Lynette was sort of glad that she didn't have to fight.

They were backed up against the stair railings now, a few feet away from the action.

Mare could see what Hannah was saying. They _were _trained. The three were boxing the cat expertly, preventing any form of escape. Mary-Lynette regarded them with grudging respect. Now why couldn't _she_ be like that? James and Lonan were barely breaking a sweat over this. Even Minsi, hurt and small, was still fighting.

The sun-blazed wolf was having trouble by the looks of it, though; her fur was ripped and disheveled, with splatters of the familiar red liquid that Mary-Lynette hoped was the puma's. The cat was just as worse, a fact that had Mare let out a sigh of relief.

"James," Lonan said, his tone only slightly breathless. "go help the others, we'll handle the rest."

After a brief glance James reluctantly nodded and backed out slowly, giving Lonan and Minsi time to adjust their forms and keep the mountain cat trapped. Then James turned around and sprinted down the stairs.

_Good, _Mary-Lynette thought. _They should be done soon—_

It's funny how that was what she was thinking when the other windows exploded.

Mare looked over her shoulder.

There were two more windows downstairs, the kinds people gaze through. Sure, most humans could've probably squeezed through there easily and fully-grown adults might have to exert some effort in climbing through it, but they'd still be able to make it. Now, what Mary-Lynette didn't get was how two super-sized _werewolves_ fit, that was just mind-boggling.

Two werewolves for each window. Four in all.

And they were headed for the three Daybreakers.

The three have been hysterically trying to diffuse the bomb, and seeing their frenzied and nervous expressions, Mary-Lynette could tell they hadn't succeeded. As if she could feel Mare's eyes on her, Nissa looked up. Her expression was just as Mary-Lynette described, pinched with uncertainty. She mouthed two words.

_Five minutes._

Before Mare could react, Hannah was shouting.

"Galen!"

The golden haired boy had cut off one of the wolves', trying to buy Nissa some more time to destroy the bomb. Another wolf was closing in on him and James was too busy with the other two to be of any help. They'd all be surrounded in no time.

"Why doesn't Galen shift?" Mare asked.

"It takes a full second to change—"

"And he'll be open for attack in that second, wouldn't he?" Of course, a technicality. Nothing comes without a price.

"Exactly."

It turned out Galen didn't need to shift, using his brain he dove to his right, narrowly missing both of the coming attacker's claws. Yes, his left shoulder hit the wall with an odd _ga-thump_, but his other hand was free to look around the desk to his right. A second later and he found what he was looking for.

The werewolves closed in, both looking ravished and triumphant at the same time.

One of them, a male with fur the color of muddy brown, padded up and snarled at Galen. And then it grinned, bunching his muscles for the final attack, victory plain on his face.

Until Galen plunged a letter opener into the back of his skull.

A _silver _letter opener. And it hit the wolf right on the top of his head. It fell down without a sound and Galen had a minute to recuperate, the other wolf looked way beyond disbelief. When the minute was over, the wolf lunged as Galen barely dodged the snapping teeth, knocking over a bookcase in his wake.

The fight began again.

Mary-Lynette huffed out a short breath. Five minutes, Nissa had said. It wasn't her best field of experience, but Mary-Lynette had a science experiment about them (blew up most of her classroom) and knew enough about explosives to know how a time bomb works. The thing had three parts: the explosive charge, the timer, and the detonator. The detonator had, apparently, already been activated, which means that the explosive charge will accumulate into a real explosion, depending on when the timer ends. And, judging by the size of that thing, its charge was about ten times bigger than her project's.

Which means it could blow this place sky high.

They had to get rid of it soon, the question was: how?

That was when Mary-Lynette got an idea.

She was about to tell Hannah, when a loud whimper cut through her plan.

Both girls turned back in time to see Minsi getting thrown aside, human and bleeding from head to toe. The puma had used the wolf distraction to its advantage very wisely, Minsi was out cold.

Lonan looked both surprised and infuriated, so he lost all of his self-control, assuming he even had any, and dove for the thing's throat. The cat saw it coming and dodged, tail and ears flicking in bemused triumph. Lonan's usually elegant body flew over the amber-furred creature and crashed into a bookcase. Books fell over him in an avalanche, and by the time they stopped, his body was just as motionless as Minsi's.

No one was left to stop the puma from springing forward to the two other girls.

And neither girl had time to react.

Mary-Lynette used the last second to move Hannah to her back. If anyone was getting clawed, it'd be her. She raised her arms outwards to protect Hannah, no matter which side the she-cat attacked in.

She closed her eyes, awaiting the dreaded, sharpened claws.

It never came.

In an incredible stroke of luck, the puma had aimed at Mary-Lynette's right side, trying to get to Hannah, but it just so happened that before she could, Mare's hand had flown out at just the right moment to stop her. And that hand just so happened to hold her silver dagger.

Just like with Jeremy, she could feel her dagger slice through the cat's ribs.

"Goddess," Hannah breathed.

The cat disappeared again, only to be replaced by a horrifyingly pale human body. Mary-Lynette held the woman at a safe angle and eased the dagger out, careful as to not do any more damage.

"Well done dear," she choked. "Now I see why they were interested in you." She gave a gurgle as a trickle of blood colored her mouth.

"What's your name?" Hannah bent over to stroke the woman's hair. Mary-Lynette was fighting her own tears. _What have I done? _Yes, she had tried to kill them but how could Mary-Lynette herself do the killing? She had summoned death and claimed a life on accident. Again.

There was no turning back after this.

A winded chuckle escaped the woman's now-blue lips.

"Bit too late for introductions don't you think sweetheart?"

Hannah didn't hesitate. "I need it for your funeral."

She said it so casually, still gentle even though she herself was fighting tears, that the woman's eyes actually sparked to life and then blinked, maybe for the last time.

"Well, what have I got to lose?" She muttered to herself, then she looked Hannah straight in the eyes almost longingly, regretfully. Like she knew she made a mistake in choosing sides.

"Leola Croan. My name's Leola Croan."

"Goddess," Hannah began. "Guide her soul to the otherworld..."

Leola chuckled, the sound turning to a horrible wrench, and then she closed her eyes.

"Good luck living through the apocalypse…"

And then she died.

Her wild evergreen eyes were replaced by a cheap, glazed look. And Leola's whole body was as pale as a wax doll's, a stark contrast from the crimson river pouring from the dagger's blow, _Mary-Lynette's _blow. Hannah finished her blessing before getting up.

"We have to go help."

Mary-Lynette was already on the move, determined to keep the tears away. It was time to fight.

She made her way towards the railings.

"No, _I_ have to help. You have to stay here and wake those two up." She motioned towards Minsi and Lonan.

"But the bomb—"

"Especially Lonan, you have to wake up Lonan."

Mary-Lynette placed her foot on top of the banisters and, gaining her footing, lifted her other foot. She balanced herself. One wrong move and she'd be a pancake on the first-floor.

"Mary-Lynette—"

"We have two minutes."

Then Mary-Lynette did something she never thought she'd do in her life.

She jumped off.

* * *

Sarah was dreaming again.

She knew because she was watching the Golden Gate Bridge collapse into the San Francisco Bay.

That wasn't the only reason she knew, the main one, the one that had her fighting to wake up, was the feeling of intrusion. Someone, or some_thing_, was in her head again.

Silver mist swirled around her denim jeans and teal shirt, the exact outfit she was wearing when she was awake. And, she didn't know how but she knew where she was in the city. Sarah was on the Marin Headlands, a hilly area just north of San Francisco and immediately across the famous American landmark.

And she was watching its destruction.

Even without binoculars or super-human eyesight, she knew what was going on. She _has_ had this kind of dream at least a dozen times, in a dozen different places, and they were all the same.

Blood.

Murderers killing victims.

A game of pure carnage.

She knew it was day, late-afternoon, but the sun was nowhere to be seen. Typical. All of her dreams were in the dark. Dreams because these were normal for her, nightmares were the ones when she knew the person receiving death's unforgiving embrace.

Thankfully, mercifully, this wasn't a nightmare. She didn't know a single person in the millions dying today.

Because that's what was happening. Innocent people were dying out there, either by the dragon's Power or the swish of its tail, sending many cars, with people still inside them, down to the 8 °C water. If they don't die of the 86 miles p/h impact, which is often fatal in itself, they'll either die of drowning in the rush of the current or by hypothermia.

Of course, even if they don't get thrown overboard, there were a lot of Night People more than happy to finish them off. Shapeshifters, lamia, witches, werewolves. A whole squadron bent on destroying every human being in the area, and no one could stop them.

So that's what Sarah was doing, watching hell break loose.

Until the voice appeared.

_One maiden is all the darkness shall need…_

Oh god. Not again.

_To counter the four of blue Power…_

No.

_Her sacrifice shall help everyone be freed…_

Get away from me...

_Will she lose to win the final hour?_

Sarah's hands went up to grasp her head, trying to get the words out of it. No use. The voice kept repeating it. It wasn't hostile, merely knowing. A woman. That was all Sarah could conclude. A woman's voice that never ceased to astound her. It always used a gentle tone, yes, but every saying was packed with foreboding that had Sarah terrified of the future. But she was always lucky, she never remembered these dreams. She only recalled each and every dream when she was in one.

This was the first time she's heard this one, though. Usually it was about a dragon destroying another city, or maybe a treachery of some sort. Never before has a maiden been mentioned.

Sarah sat on the dewy hill, rocking her body back and forth in an effort to keep the melodious voice away when she heard a crash.

The bridge had finally collapsed.

The dragon had probably gotten tired with playing with its food. So it did what she had known it would do from the beginning. It sliced the bridge in half, sending everyone, even the Night People, down to meet their watery doom.

The bridge pieces followed shortly, hitting the water with a sound explicitly close to thunder.

Sarah stared, without flinching, as sobs welled inside her chest.

_So many people…_ she thought

_Will die in the future's wake. _The voice continued. _Only a chosen few shall survive the plague of the Apocalypse._

With the bridge's combined weight and height of 746 ft. the water below couldn't stand any more pressure. A tidal wave was in the making.

Sarah watched as the water began to boil with the pressure, she watched as it began to rise well over the hill she was on.

The voice inside of her repeated its divination.

_Will she lose to win the final hour?_

The tidal wave struck out and the last thing Sarah felt was the salty tang of the sea washing her away from her dream of the unknown.

Then Sarah woke up.

* * *

Jo had been sleeping very soundly, like a baby actually, when she heard a gasp behind her. The blondie—Sarah as she's supposed to be called—was awake, looking more like a 'princess in peril' now than ever before.

Her sunny hair was sticking up in most places, damp with sweat Jo guessed. Her aquamarine eyes were wider than usual, it's a wonder the rest of her face wasn't covered by them.

For a second, Jo considered feigning sleep. No one else looked like they heard the princess's disturbance. Rashel and Keller were sleeping side-by-side on the carpet and Daphne was hogging a plushy armchair, with Jo on the other one. All of them were still fully and deeply asleep. None of them was selfish enough to sleep on the bed, not even Jo, so no one did.

The boys had insisted that the girls get the only bedroom in the jet, and Jo knew that all of them were asleep in the main room as well. Last she saw them, Kierlan was turning on the leather recliner, trying to find a good position, Phil was already zonked out on the other recliner, Mal was arguing (emotionlessly, if that was even possible) with Quinn as to who should get the couch (both insisting the other should, of course) and Ash was still unresponsive. Still is, Jo had no doubt.

She envied them all.

Why does _she_ have to get stuck with Sleeping Beauty over there?

But, trying to be the person she desperately wanted to be, Jo got up and crossed the room to go comfort the heavy breathing beach-blonde.

"Hey," she whispered. "what's up, blondie?"

Sarah was clutching on to the blanket for dear life. She gave no indication of hearing Jo's attempt at a friendly greeting.

"Sarah?"

The wide, teal eyes met hers.

"Sarah?" Jo was really concerned now, an emotion she barely had. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, God."

The girl got up, slipping through the blanket and revealing the same clothes Jo had first seen her in. The three: Mal, Kierlan, and her, didn't bring any extra clothes for the unexpected trip so they were stuck with the same outfit for a good 24-hours more. Jo, on the other hand, was wearing a deep violet shirt and some gray shorts, normal sleepwear for her.

Speaking of her shirt, Sarah was gripping it as hard as her fragile hands would allow her.

"Jo…"

Jo's head only reached up to Sarah's chin, not unusual because she was pretty used to being short due to the fact that she barely passed 5"2, but Jo was sure that if it came to a panic attack with blondie over here, she'd be able to restrain her delicate form long enough for the others to wake up.

"I… I see it…"

_What? _Jo struggled to regain her usual sarcastic bravado.

"Sarah, I'm serious. You better not be screwing with me here."

Even as she said it Jo highly doubted Sarah was kidding, just by the look the girl had. It was like they were back in the clearing, when Sarah had sleep-walked. She had the same out-of-body look in her eyes, like it wasn't even her doing what she was doing. Plus, Jo didn't know many people who would wake up in the middle of the night just to make some sick prank. Herself excluded, of course.

"Sarah?"

"Jo…"

That was when it happened.

Sarah's eyelids dropped as a soft sigh escaped her lips. Slowly, her grip relaxed on Jo's collar and instead rested on her shoulders. Her breath came out nice and even as her eyes half-opened, revealing two pearl-shaped, blue-green jewels. Sarah was staring at something only she could see.

Gently, her index finger rose to point at the black hardwood desk next to the couch. A stack of papers were laid out along with a couple of writing utensils that were meant for standard use. Not taking her eyes off of Sarah, Jo hesitantly backed up and lifted a sheet of the wispy material while grabbing a pen with her other hand.

"Is this what you want?" She waved both of her hands. Sarah didn't move an inch, just held open her hand.

Jo bit her lip. "Fine. Take it." She shoved both items into the girl's hand, unsure of what would happen next.

Sarah looked down with the same clouded teal eyes and started writing.

The sound of pen scrawling against the paper was the only thing that interrupted the sleepy silence that held the rest of the tenants. The room was so comfy and hotel-like Jo didn't even feel like they were on an 80 mph plane, and everyone was still sleeping as soundly as before, the occasional snore and sigh ensured that.

It wasn't until Jo looked down at herself that she realized she was brushing her left wrist. The wrist that held her charm bracelet. The metallic feel under her fingers did more than soothe her; it reminded her of why she was in this organization in the first place.

She could feel herself getting drawn back into her memories… the times when she didn't have to worry about who or what she was, when she had a normal life… but this bracelet not only brought good memories, it brought back everything she went through too. All of her memories, every one of them, were intertwined with this charm bracelet; there was a charm for each major event in her life...

Jo's eyes were glazing over, getting lost in her own personal world as the memories came flooding back. She would have drowned in them if Sarah hadn't tapped her on the shoulder.

She placed the paper in Jo's hand.

The sheet had been written on with clear, cursive writing, way more legible than her own. There were four lines on it. Four lines that had Jo swallowing.

"What… what's this?"

She hadn't really expected an answer from the walking dead here, but she got one anyway.

"Your future."

Both Sarah's neck and eyelids dropped then and Jo had to rely on her trained reflexes to catch the girl's falling body.

"Of course," she muttered as she gingerly placed Sarah back on the couch. "Of course _I'll_ be the one this happens to. It's _always_ me."

Sarah's head piped up as Jo released her. She blinked. "What…" she yawned. "What happened?" Her innocent eyes zeroed in on the piece of paper Jo was cradling.

"What's that?"

She doesn't remember. That much was clear. The only question was: To lie or not to lie?

Before she could answer her own question, she heard the rustling of blankets. Rashel and Keller were instantly alert. Daphne tried, and failed, to stick her head up. She was still drooling on her pillow.

"Jo?" Keller's flailing hair obscured any trace of her expression. "Sarah? What are you two doing up?"

Well. At least it helped answer her question. Jo pulled on a mask of indifference and used her quick tongue to her advantage. Sarah, or anybody else, didn't even notice her hesitation.

"I've been working on a few new spells." She did her best to put in a few tinges of annoyance in her act, and a pout didn't hurt either. "Those psychos back in Boston were like freaking mind readers. I gotta be prepared." She tossed her hair to the side, showing her deep violet pupil. Jo wasn't stupid; she knew the effect it had on people. Now to just narrow the eyes a little and give a small smirk…

"Don't you approve?"

Both girls blinked, Rashel narrowed her eyes. At first, Jo thought that she would suspect something, but then she just yawned and propped her head on the pillow.

"Okay, whatever."

Keller just grunted then fell back on the carpet.

Jo turned to Sarah. She was already asleep.

Her smirk became more genuine.

Jo let her hair fall back as she waited out the next minutes. When she was sure everyone was asleep she made her way back to the armchair she temporarily called 'bed'. There, when she got into a comfortable position, she took a deep breath and re-read Sarah's note.

And read it again. And again.

A short breath escaped her. "Man, this bites."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

**Cliffhanger… evil but keeps the audience hooked for more… :}**

**Well? Wat'd u think? REVIEW, and I'll be happy as can be. =} Don't REVIEW and I might delay the story…. JK I won't do that, not even if this story's neglected, forgotten, UN-REVIEWED… well I'll feel bad, sure, but this story will still continue.**

**Which brings me to the bad news:**

**I'm going on vacation. Out of country. For the whole of August.**

**If I'm lucky, I'll have decent internet connection where I'm going, if not…**

**Well, we'll just see won't we? :{ REVIEW pls. and thx 4 listening/reading. :]**


	11. Chapter 10

_**Disclaimer**__**:**_**First**** off: NO OWNERSHIP…**

**Second****: ha… ten days since last update?.... man, I am just plain horrible aren't I? For punishment I allow anybody to tell me off in a REVIEW… go ahead, burn me. I deserve it. :{**

**Third****: Special thx to ****Untamed Rose**** for 100****th**** review :] *applause as confetti drops along with a promising piñata* WEE!!! 100 Reviews!!! I'm so happy. XD**

**Fourth****: I'm going to stop babbling so u could read… Enjoy!!!

* * *

**

**Chapter 10

* * *

**

Not thinking about what she was doing, Mary-Lynette dove towards Lady Hannah. A single, straight leap had her in front of the dazed girl, fully prepared to shield her from the millions of crystalline shards that were flying out.

Hannah's arms, sporting a few cuts, were trying to cover her face. She looked at Mare with slightly widened gray eyes.

"Mary-Lynette?"

Mare motioned for her to get behind her back.

The floor-to-ceiling window was now shattered, and once the rain of glass was over, Mary-Lynette knew why.

She heard Lady Hannah breathe out "Oh, goddess." behind her as the woman straightened.

Yes, a woman. How she jumped through a two-story window, Mare had no idea. She was probably in her early twenties, with auburn hair cut in uneven lines across her shoulders. Her burgundy sweatshirt and beige khakis were pierced by dozens of stray glass pieces, drawing out miniscule beads of blood. And, although Mare was sure all those cuts stung, the woman laughed as she looked around the room.

"Funny how easy that was, eh?" She spoke with a slight British accent. "A few jumps on the right branches and you've got an ambush." She flipped her russet hair as her hands went to her hips. If her clothes weren't already ripped, Mary-Lynette would have thought she was posing for _Vogue_.

Lonan, the only one with enough animosity to get over the shock, cut to the chase. "Who the hell are you?"

She looked him up and down. "My dear boy, I'm no one _you_ need to know. But she," She jabbed a finger over her shoulder, towards Mare and Hannah. "would do well to refer to me as her captor."

Minsi spoke up. "Over our dead bodies."

The woman tilted her head, pretending to think about the offer. "Well… if you insist."

That was when she vanished.

No, really. The place where she was standing now had no sign of her, at least, for a second and a half. Then another body appeared.

_Cat,_ was Mary-Lynette's first thought. Before she could think anymore, the thing straightened, revealing that it was in fact an auburn she-puma. Her fur shone red in the glowing sunset, and with her ears pricked and eyes shining green with expectation, she looked absolutely stunning. But, beautiful or not, Mary-Lynette wasn't interested at all about the thing's appearances.

She was interested in what it was holding.

The woman must have pulled it out of her pocket in the last moment, before she shifted, because between her teeth was something Mary-Lynette's only seen in the movies, she had to do a double-take just to make sure she wasn't just seeing things.

She wasn't. The ticking was enough to reassure that.

A time bomb.

The puma looked like she smiled, and with her evergreen eyes shining, she tossed her head aside so the bomb was sent across the hall. It squeezed through the banisters and dropped to the first floor with a short thud.

With the bomb out of the cat's mouth, Mary-Lynette could easily see the sharp edges of inch-thick teeth in between her lips. She purred as she saw how stricken they all were.

And then she pounced.

Towards Mary-Lynette.

Somehow, Mare managed to shove Hannah farther behind her back while simultaneously retrieving her dagger from her bag's side pocket. She pointed it at the great cat as she landed in front of her. The puma hissed in frustration. She couldn't talk in this form, but it didn't make a difference. Mary-Lynette could see her message from the impatient pine-green eyes.

_Drop it, unless you _want _me to kill you._

She kept the dagger steady.

With a flick of her tail, the puma pounced once more, heading in for the kill.

Or, she would have, if a certain caramel wolf didn't tackle it mid-jump.

The two animals rolled in one giant ball of fur before crashing into the wall. The puma took the brunt of the impact, but Minsi was limping when she got up. Both of them started circling each other. A clash of the predators.

Watching them snarl and growl at each other, Mary-Lynette noticed just how small Minsi was compared to the mountain cat. If it came to strength and blows, Minsi wouldn't have much of a chance.

But Minsi's brave stand had given everybody else a second to recuperate. A second that had Nissa and Galen flying down the stairs to retrieve the bomb, much to Mary-Lynette's relief, and that had Lonan and James gather enough bearings to jump into the fight. Mary-Lynette had planned on joining in when Hannah abruptly yanked her arm in the other direction.

"What are you doing?"

"Keeping you away from the fight."

"Why?"

"Because they can handle themselves. Now stop struggling." Mare stopped her squirming, Lady Hannah's tone was as gentle as ever but the voice of authority was nearly unmistakable, and if she was being honest with herself, Mary-Lynette was sort of glad that she didn't have to fight.

They were backed up against the stair railings now, a few feet away from the action.

Mare could see what Hannah was saying. They _were _trained. The three were boxing the cat expertly, preventing any form of escape. Mary-Lynette regarded them with grudging respect. Now why couldn't _she_ be like that? James and Lonan were barely breaking a sweat over this. Even Minsi, hurt and small, was still fighting.

The sun-blazed wolf was having trouble by the looks of it, though; her fur was ripped and disheveled, with splatters of the familiar red liquid that Mary-Lynette hoped was the puma's. The cat was just as worse, a fact that had Mare let out a sigh of relief.

"James," Lonan said, his tone only slightly breathless. "go help the others, we'll handle the rest."

After a brief glance James reluctantly nodded and backed out slowly, giving Lonan and Minsi time to adjust their forms and keep the mountain cat trapped. Then James turned around and sprinted down the stairs.

_Good, _Mary-Lynette thought. _They should be done soon—_

It's funny how that was what she was thinking when the other windows exploded.

Mare looked over her shoulder.

There were two more windows downstairs, the kinds people gaze through. Sure, most humans could've probably squeezed through there easily and fully-grown adults might have to exert some effort in climbing through it, but they'd still be able to make it. Now, what Mary-Lynette didn't get was how two super-sized _werewolves_ fit, that was just mind-boggling.

Two werewolves for each window. Four in all.

And they were headed for the three Daybreakers.

The three have been hysterically trying to diffuse the bomb, and seeing their frenzied and nervous expressions, Mary-Lynette could tell they hadn't succeeded. As if she could feel Mare's eyes on her, Nissa looked up. Her expression was just as Mary-Lynette described, pinched with uncertainty. She mouthed two words.

_Five minutes._

Before Mare could react, Hannah was shouting.

"Galen!"

The golden haired boy had cut off one of the wolves', trying to buy Nissa some more time to destroy the bomb. Another wolf was closing in on him and James was too busy with the other two to be of any help. They'd all be surrounded in no time.

"Why doesn't Galen shift?" Mare asked.

"It takes a full second to change—"

"And he'll be open for attack in that second, wouldn't he?" Of course, a technicality. Nothing comes without a price.

"Exactly."

It turned out Galen didn't need to shift, using his brain he dove to his right, narrowly missing both of the coming attacker's claws. Yes, his left shoulder hit the wall with an odd _ga-thump_, but his other hand was free to look around the desk to his right. A second later and he found what he was looking for.

The werewolves closed in, both looking ravished and triumphant at the same time.

One of them, a male with fur the color of muddy brown, padded up and snarled at Galen. And then it grinned, bunching his muscles for the final attack, victory plain on his face.

Until Galen plunged a letter opener into the back of his skull.

A _silver _letter opener. And it hit the wolf right on the top of his head. It fell down without a sound and Galen had a minute to recuperate, the other wolf looked way beyond disbelief. When the minute was over, the wolf lunged as Galen barely dodged the snapping teeth, knocking over a bookcase in his wake.

The fight began again.

Mary-Lynette huffed out a short breath. Five minutes, Nissa had said. It wasn't her best field of experience, but Mary-Lynette had a science experiment about them (blew up most of her classroom) and knew enough about explosives to know how a time bomb works. The thing had three parts: the explosive charge, the timer, and the detonator. The detonator had, apparently, already been activated, which means that the explosive charge will accumulate into a real explosion, depending on when the timer ends. And, judging by the size of that thing, its charge was about ten times bigger than her project's.

Which means it could blow this place sky high.

They had to get rid of it soon, the question was: how?

That was when Mary-Lynette got an idea.

She was about to tell Hannah, when a loud whimper cut through her plan.

Both girls turned back in time to see Minsi getting thrown aside, human and bleeding from head to toe. The puma had used the wolf distraction to its advantage very wisely, Minsi was out cold.

Lonan looked both surprised and infuriated, so he lost all of his self-control, assuming he even had any, and dove for the thing's throat. The cat saw it coming and dodged, tail and ears flicking in bemused triumph. Lonan's usually elegant body flew over the amber-furred creature and crashed into a bookcase. Books fell over him in an avalanche, and by the time they stopped, his body was just as motionless as Minsi's.

No one was left to stop the puma from springing forward to the two other girls.

And neither girl had time to react.

Mary-Lynette used the last second to move Hannah to her back. If anyone was getting clawed, it'd be her. She raised her arms outwards to protect Hannah, no matter which side the she-cat attacked in.

She closed her eyes, awaiting the dreaded, sharpened claws.

It never came.

In an incredible stroke of luck, the puma had aimed at Mary-Lynette's right side, trying to get to Hannah, but it just so happened that before she could, Mare's hand had flown out at just the right moment to stop her. And that hand just so happened to hold her silver dagger.

Just like with Jeremy, she could feel her dagger slice through the cat's ribs.

"Goddess," Hannah breathed.

The cat disappeared again, only to be replaced by a horrifyingly pale human body. Mary-Lynette held the woman at a safe angle and eased the dagger out, careful as to not do any more damage.

"Well done dear," she choked. "Now I see why they were interested in you." She gave a gurgle as a trickle of blood colored her mouth.

"What's your name?" Hannah bent over to stroke the woman's hair. Mary-Lynette was fighting her own tears. _What have I done? _Yes, she had tried to kill them but how could Mary-Lynette herself do the killing? She had summoned death and claimed a life on accident. Again.

There was no turning back after this.

A winded chuckle escaped the woman's now-blue lips.

"Bit too late for introductions don't you think sweetheart?"

Hannah didn't hesitate. "I need it for your funeral."

She said it so casually, still gentle even though she herself was fighting tears, that the woman's eyes actually sparked to life and then blinked, maybe for the last time.

"Well, what have I got to lose?" She muttered to herself, then she looked Hannah straight in the eyes almost longingly, regretfully. Like she knew she made a mistake in choosing sides.

"Leola Croan. My name's Leola Croan."

"Goddess," Hannah began. "Guide her soul to the otherworld..."

Leola chuckled, the sound turning to a horrible wrench, and then she closed her eyes.

"Good luck living through the apocalypse…"

And then she died.

Her wild evergreen eyes were replaced by a cheap, glazed look. And Leola's whole body was as pale as a wax doll's, a stark contrast from the crimson river pouring from the dagger's blow, _Mary-Lynette's _blow. Hannah finished her blessing before getting up.

"We have to go help."

Mary-Lynette was already on the move, determined to keep the tears away. It was time to fight.

She made her way towards the railings.

"No, _I_ have to help. You have to stay here and wake those two up." She motioned towards Minsi and Lonan.

"But the bomb—"

"Especially Lonan, you have to wake up Lonan."

Mary-Lynette placed her foot on top of the banisters and, gaining her footing, lifted her other foot. She balanced herself. One wrong move and she'd be a pancake on the first-floor.

"Mary-Lynette—"

"We have two minutes."

Then Mary-Lynette did something she never thought she'd do in her life.

She jumped off.

* * *

Sarah was dreaming again.

She knew because she was watching the Golden Gate Bridge collapse into the San Francisco Bay.

That wasn't the only reason she knew, the main one, the one that had her fighting to wake up, was the feeling of intrusion. Someone, or some_thing_, was in her head again.

Silver mist swirled around her denim jeans and teal shirt, the exact outfit she was wearing when she was awake. And, she didn't know how but she knew where she was in the city. Sarah was on the Marin Headlands, a hilly area just north of San Francisco and immediately across the famous American landmark.

And she was watching its destruction.

Even without binoculars or super-human eyesight, she knew what was going on. She _has_ had this kind of dream at least a dozen times, in a dozen different places, and they were all the same.

Blood.

Murderers killing victims.

A game of pure carnage.

She knew it was day, late-afternoon, but the sun was nowhere to be seen. Typical. All of her dreams were in the dark. Dreams because these were normal for her, nightmares were the ones when she knew the person receiving death's unforgiving embrace.

Thankfully, mercifully, this wasn't a nightmare. She didn't know a single person in the millions dying today.

Because that's what was happening. Innocent people were dying out there, either by the dragon's Power or the swish of its tail, sending many cars, with people still inside them, down to the 8 °C water. If they don't die of the 86 miles p/h impact, which is often fatal in itself, they'll either die of drowning in the rush of the current or by hypothermia.

Of course, even if they don't get thrown overboard, there were a lot of Night People more than happy to finish them off. Shapeshifters, lamia, witches, werewolves. A whole squadron bent on destroying every human being in the area, and no one could stop them.

So that's what Sarah was doing, watching hell break loose.

Until the voice appeared.

_One maiden is all the darkness shall need…_

Oh god. Not again.

_To counter the four of blue Power…_

No.

_Her sacrifice shall help everyone be freed…_

Get away from me...

_Will she lose to win the final hour?_

Sarah's hands went up to grasp her head, trying to get the words out of it. No use. The voice kept repeating it. It wasn't hostile, merely knowing. A woman. That was all Sarah could conclude. A woman's voice that never ceased to astound her. It always used a gentle tone, yes, but every saying was packed with foreboding that had Sarah terrified of the future. But she was always lucky, she never remembered these dreams. She only recalled each and every dream when she was in one.

This was the first time she's heard this one, though. Usually it was about a dragon destroying another city, or maybe a treachery of some sort. Never before has a maiden been mentioned.

Sarah sat on the dewy hill, rocking her body back and forth in an effort to keep the melodious voice away when she heard a crash.

The bridge had finally collapsed.

The dragon had probably gotten tired with playing with its food. So it did what she had known it would do from the beginning. It sliced the bridge in half, sending everyone, even the Night People, down to meet their watery doom.

The bridge pieces followed shortly, hitting the water with a sound explicitly close to thunder.

Sarah stared, without flinching, as sobs welled inside her chest.

_So many people…_ she thought

_Will die in the future's wake. _The voice continued. _Only a chosen few shall survive the plague of the Apocalypse._

With the bridge's combined weight and height of 746 ft. the water below couldn't stand any more pressure. A tidal wave was in the making.

Sarah watched as the water began to boil with the pressure, she watched as it began to rise well over the hill she was on.

The voice inside of her repeated its divination.

_Will she lose to win the final hour?_

The tidal wave struck out and the last thing Sarah felt was the salty tang of the sea washing her away from her dream of the unknown.

Then Sarah woke up.

* * *

Jo had been sleeping very soundly, like a baby actually, when she heard a gasp behind her. The blondie—Sarah as she's supposed to be called—was awake, looking more like a 'princess in peril' now than ever before.

Her sunny hair was sticking up in most places, damp with sweat Jo guessed. Her aquamarine eyes were wider than usual, it's a wonder the rest of her face wasn't covered by them.

For a second, Jo considered feigning sleep. No one else looked like they heard the princess's disturbance. Rashel and Keller were sleeping side-by-side on the carpet and Daphne was hogging a plushy armchair, with Jo on the other one. All of them were still fully and deeply asleep. None of them was selfish enough to sleep on the bed, not even Jo, so no one did.

The boys had insisted that the girls get the only bedroom in the jet, and Jo knew that all of them were asleep in the main room as well. Last she saw them, Kierlan was turning on the leather recliner, trying to find a good position, Phil was already zonked out on the other recliner, Mal was arguing (emotionlessly, if that was even possible) with Quinn as to who should get the couch (both insisting the other should, of course) and Ash was still unresponsive. Still is, Jo had no doubt.

She envied them all.

Why does _she_ have to get stuck with Sleeping Beauty over there?

But, trying to be the person she desperately wanted to be, Jo got up and crossed the room to go comfort the heavy breathing beach-blonde.

"Hey," she whispered. "what's up, blondie?"

Sarah was clutching on to the blanket for dear life. She gave no indication of hearing Jo's attempt at a friendly greeting.

"Sarah?"

The wide, teal eyes met hers.

"Sarah?" Jo was really concerned now, an emotion she barely had. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, God."

The girl got up, slipping through the blanket and revealing the same clothes Jo had first seen her in. The three: Mal, Kierlan, and her, didn't bring any extra clothes for the unexpected trip so they were stuck with the same outfit for a good 24-hours more. Jo, on the other hand, was wearing a deep violet shirt and some gray shorts, normal sleepwear for her.

Speaking of her shirt, Sarah was gripping it as hard as her fragile hands would allow her.

"Jo…"

Jo's head only reached up to Sarah's chin, not unusual because she was pretty used to being short due to the fact that she barely passed 5"2, but Jo was sure that if it came to a panic attack with blondie over here, she'd be able to restrain her delicate form long enough for the others to wake up.

"I… I see it…"

_What? _Jo struggled to regain her usual sarcastic bravado.

"Sarah, I'm serious. You better not be screwing with me here."

Even as she said it Jo highly doubted Sarah was kidding, just by the look the girl had. It was like they were back in the clearing, when Sarah had sleep-walked. She had the same out-of-body look in her eyes, like it wasn't even her doing what she was doing. Plus, Jo didn't know many people who would wake up in the middle of the night just to make some sick prank. Herself excluded, of course.

"Sarah?"

"Jo…"

That was when it happened.

Sarah's eyelids dropped as a soft sigh escaped her lips. Slowly, her grip relaxed on Jo's collar and instead rested on her shoulders. Her breath came out nice and even as her eyes half-opened, revealing two pearl-shaped, blue-green jewels. Sarah was staring at something only she could see.

Gently, her index finger rose to point at the black hardwood desk next to the couch. A stack of papers were laid out along with a couple of writing utensils that were meant for standard use. Not taking her eyes off of Sarah, Jo hesitantly backed up and lifted a sheet of the wispy material while grabbing a pen with her other hand.

"Is this what you want?" She waved both of her hands. Sarah didn't move an inch, just held open her hand.

Jo bit her lip. "Fine. Take it." She shoved both items into the girl's hand, unsure of what would happen next.

Sarah looked down with the same clouded teal eyes and started writing.

The sound of pen scrawling against the paper was the only thing that interrupted the sleepy silence that held the rest of the tenants. The room was so comfy and hotel-like Jo didn't even feel like they were on an 80 mph plane, and everyone was still sleeping as soundly as before, the occasional snore and sigh ensured that.

It wasn't until Jo looked down at herself that she realized she was brushing her left wrist. The wrist that held her charm bracelet. The metallic feel under her fingers did more than soothe her; it reminded her of why she was in this organization in the first place.

She could feel herself getting drawn back into her memories… the times when she didn't have to worry about who or what she was, when she had a normal life… but this bracelet not only brought good memories, it brought back everything she went through too. All of her memories, every one of them, were intertwined with this charm bracelet; there was a charm for each major event in her life...

Jo's eyes were glazing over, getting lost in her own personal world as the memories came flooding back. She would have drowned in them if Sarah hadn't tapped her on the shoulder.

She placed the paper in Jo's hand.

The sheet had been written on with clear, cursive writing, way more legible than her own. There were four lines on it. Four lines that had Jo swallowing.

"What… what's this?"

She hadn't really expected an answer from the walking dead here, but she got one anyway.

"Your future."

Both Sarah's neck and eyelids dropped then and Jo had to rely on her trained reflexes to catch the girl's falling body.

"Of course," she muttered as she gingerly placed Sarah back on the couch. "Of course _I'll_ be the one this happens to. It's _always_ me."

Sarah's head piped up as Jo released her. She blinked. "What…" she yawned. "What happened?" Her innocent eyes zeroed in on the piece of paper Jo was cradling.

"What's that?"

She doesn't remember. That much was clear. The only question was: To lie or not to lie?

Before she could answer her own question, she heard the rustling of blankets. Rashel and Keller were instantly alert. Daphne tried, and failed, to stick her head up. She was still drooling on her pillow.

"Jo?" Keller's flailing hair obscured any trace of her expression. "Sarah? What are you two doing up?"

Well. At least it helped answer her question. Jo pulled on a mask of indifference and used her quick tongue to her advantage. Sarah, or anybody else, didn't even notice her hesitation.

"I've been working on a few new spells." She did her best to put in a few tinges of annoyance in her act, and a pout didn't hurt either. "Those psychos back in Boston were like freaking mind readers. I gotta be prepared." She tossed her hair to the side, showing her deep violet pupil. Jo wasn't stupid; she knew the effect it had on people. Now to just narrow the eyes a little and give a small smirk…

"Don't you approve?"

Both girls blinked, Rashel narrowed her eyes. At first, Jo thought that she would suspect something, but then she just yawned and propped her head on the pillow.

"Okay, whatever."

Keller just grunted then fell back on the carpet.

Jo turned to Sarah. She was already asleep.

Her smirk became more genuine.

Jo let her hair fall back as she waited out the next minutes. When she was sure everyone was asleep she made her way back to the armchair she temporarily called 'bed'. There, when she got into a comfortable position, she took a deep breath and re-read Sarah's note.

And read it again. And again.

A short breath escaped her. "Man, this bites."

* * *

_**Author's Note:**_

**Cliffhanger… evil but keeps the audience hooked for more… :}**

**Well? Wat'd u think? REVIEW, and I'll be happy as can be. =} Don't REVIEW and I might delay the story…. JK I won't do that, not even if this story's neglected, forgotten, UN-REVIEWED… well I'll feel bad, sure, but this story will still continue.**

**Which brings me to the bad news:**

**I'm going on vacation. Out of country. For the whole of August.**

**If I'm lucky, I'll have decent internet connection where I'm going, if not…**

**Well, we'll just see won't we? :{ REVIEW pls. and thx 4 listening/reading. :]**


	12. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: No ownership whatsoever... too bad for me huh? :{**

**Not much to say here, I'll talk to u guys at the bottom A/N... in the meantime... Read!!! **

**Chapter 11**

Falling wasn't so bad.

Just ask Mary-Lynette.

It took all of her courage to jump the second floor, thinking that it was probably the stupidest thing she'd ever do in her life, but really, it was pretty exhilarating. Her back was ram-rod straight as she aligned and readied her arms.

In a second she landed, as planned, on the back of an oblivious wolf.

Before he could even react, Mary-Lynette's dagger was already plunged into his gray streaked pelt, well into piercing his spinal cord. Dead or not, the thing dropped with nothing more than a whimper.

The rush of adrenaline prevented Mary-Lynette from feeling any remorse whatsoever.

She got up from the carcass and saw James's mouth openly agape. His brown hair was rumpled and doused in sweat; a battered fur carpet off to his right offered up an explanation to his labored breathing. Mary-Lynette didn't know why he was staring; _he_ was the one who killed a wolf with his bare hands. God knows how, though. James still hadn't closed his jaw and Mare was beginning to feel a tad bit annoyed.

_What? I can't jump a two-story mansion and kill a fully grown, fully trained werewolf on my way down? _

James finally managed to recuperate and hurriedly lost the surprised expression, replacing it with his usual secretive, thoughtful look.

"Thanks for dropping by."

Mary-Lynette shrugged, inconspicuously checking her arms for any damage. "My pleasure."

With no further ado, he rounded to help Galen with the last wolf. Mary-Lynette made her way to the mink-haired girl in the middle.

Nissa's fingers were actually blurring as she sought to find a switch or a button or maybe a stray piece of wire that could lead to the thing's diffusion. She didn't take her eyes off the thing as she addressed Mary-Lynette's approach.

"There's _nothing_." Her voice held as much emotion as she could convey, but it wasn't distress this time, it was resigned respect for the enemy's strategy.

"They really know how to make weapons these days."

"Nissa," Mary-Lynette shook the other girl, she hadn't killed twice in the last five minutes to just _give up_.

"Nissa, listen to me. We have one minute. I have a plan on getting rid of this thing—" Nissa's brown eyes sparked up at once, completely ready to do anything to destroy the threatening bomb and save everyone in the house. But then they blanked once more as cold logic made its way to her brain.

"How? There isn't anything in the house that could possibly contain this kind of explosion and even if there were we wouldn't be able to get it and be back in time." She placed her hands to her forehead. "We've got sixty-seconds and we don't have any options…"

Mare shook her again. "Yes, we do. I want you to throw the bomb."

"What?" Nissa was dumbstruck, as she should be. "Where?"

Mary-Lynette turned both her and Nissa's head to the second floor.

"Up _there_."

She practically heard Nissa stop breathing. Her voice was composed, as always, but Mare could identify startled worries in her undertone. "It won't make a difference Mary-Lynette; it'll still cover the whole of the mansion. And that's where Lady Hannah is… "

Nissa wouldn't cooperate. Which meant _she _had to do it.

Mary-Lynette mentally went over her plan one last time. It was crazy, a one-shot chance, and it just may work.

But there was a catch.

Quickly, trying her best to not think about that catch, she jerked the time bomb away from Nissa, who released it with a short gasp of surprise.

"Lonan!"

_Please be awake. Please be there._

Fortunately, or unfortunately, his messy jet head looked down from the railings, rubbing the top of his scalp. His eyes, focused and magnetic as ever, looked down questioningly.

Mare couldn't explain to him what was about to happen, couldn't explain to him what he was about to do. They were almost out of time. All she could do was fling her arm back and throw the bomb to his direction with everything she's got.

With a grunt from Mary-Lynette, the bomb was flying.

Mare only had one second to see understanding light up Lonan's features. Then he was smiling with bitter irony, and in the next second…

He was gone.

A shadowed raven caught the bomb by the side with its curving talons.

And then he disappeared. Out through the shattered window and into the descending night with nothing more than a haunting _caw_.

Approximately thirty seconds later, an explosion barely echoed through the walls. Out the window, perfectly visible for anyone to see, was a great burst of dark orange light. It spread out into a bigger circle, looking, to Mary-Lynette, like a mini-sized super nova. Lonan had gotten the bomb far and high enough for the rest to survive. He did his job well.

Mary-Lynette dropped to her knees.

"Mare." Nissa was helping her up. "Mary-Lynette, what you did—"

"—was the only thing you could do." James and Galen were behind them, helping Nissa get Mare on her feet. She didn't even notice the two boys or even the body of the last wolf a yard or two behind them; her unshed tears were still blocking most of her view.

"James is right," Galen began leading them upstairs. "you had no choice. And Lonan would have wanted you to do it."

Mary-Lynette didn't say anything; she just let the three lead her up the stairs. Once there they were confronted by an always calm Hannah, still trying to wake Minsi up.

"She stopped bleeding from open cuts, but I think her leg and one or two ribs are broken. She may even have a concussion." She got up and sighed, wiping some of her tears away.

"Does anyone have a cell phone?"

Galen shook his head, his left shoulder hanging a little bit awkwardly as he shrugged and gave a small smirk. "Lonan was the only one who brought his cell phone; you know how much he hates that rule."

Silence ensued. Galen immediately sobered and corrected himself as he looked out the window. "Hated."

Heavier silence ensued. Mary-Lynette was still fighting her own tears.

Nissa cleared her throat multiple times but her voice still quivered when she spoke. "I'm sure we can find a phone here somewhere, Lady Hannah."

Hannah shook her head. "This is an alcove Nissa, just a small part of the house. All the phone lines are in the living rooms."

If he was still here, Lonan would, without a doubt, have said: _"And just whose bright idea was that?"_ and they all knew it, which was why they all stayed silent for a little while longer.

"Why don't we go to Lord Thierry?" asked James, he was having trouble turning away from the window. "That was where we were going before this happened, right?"

Hannah nodded. "Yes, his office is close by, three or four more hallways. We could—" She put her hand to her cheek when she turned around.

"No. We can't. Minsi can't be moved without proper examination, and we can't all leave her."

"Why not?" Nissa was trying her best to be logical, even though Mary-Lynette could tell it was hard for her to talk about leaving Minsi in this state. "Lord Thierry's room isn't far, you said so yourself, we could be there and back before she wakes up."

"It's not just that. Haven't you guys noticed how no one came to help?"

Huh. She had a point.

Somewhere in the middle of all the conversation, Mary-Lynette had sunk to her knees next to Minsi. Now she got up.

"So what you're saying is: there might be more?" Adrenaline still surged through Mare's veins, tensing her body at the first sound of approaching enemies.

Nissa, still logical, said. "We have to split up." Her expression turned thoughtful, her brown eyes calculating, and then she turned to James.

"You're going to have to stay with these three." She motioned to Mare, Galen, and Minsi.

"But I—"

"They're all hurt, James. Galen's shoulder's dislocated, Minsi's out cold, and Mary-Lynette will probably die of over-exertion. Are you really going to let them fend for themselves if anybody else comes?"

He sighed in defeat; clearly he wouldn't win this argument. "Fine."

Nissa turned to the others. "Fine?"

"No. Definitely _not_ fine." Was what Mary-Lynette wanted to say. Instead, she just nodded weakly. Yes, she wanted to go and help as much as she can, but Nissa was dead on about that over-exertion thing. The adrenaline was wearing off, being replaced by a feeling of dream-like quality, like nothing that happened happened. It was all very confusing.

And plus, Lonan's loss was a hit on everyone. If this were a normal world, they'd all be talking about their feelings in an emotional way that somehow makes everything more bearable, something like therapy. Or maybe they'd all go out together, drowning their sorrows in shopping and/or sappy movies like all teenagers would.

Like all _normal _teenagers would.

But they weren't normal teenagers.

They were a group of teens that just made their way through a battle; bruised and beat with the life of a friend lost. The rage and regret made Mare want to fight, to forget everything in the ultimate high of adrenaline. She could feel Galen think about all of this beside her and knew that he'd just come to the same conclusion.

There wasn't anything they could do at this point, not in their condition.

And there was no point pretending otherwise.

Both Mary-Lynette and Galen nodded their reluctant consent to Nissa.

"Good. Lady Hannah and I will be back as soon as possible."

With a last look at the group, Nissa and Hannah turned around and sprinted through the hallway.

* * *

Mary-Lynette was pacing the whole length of the hall, waiting, when running footsteps had both her and James, the only two still well enough to fight, tensing.

"Minsi!" A boy she's never seen before ran towards them and James visibly relaxed. Mary-Lynette wasn't so sure. There was something about this boy…

Maybe it was his dull, black hair, falling carelessly into his sky-blue eyes. Or maybe it was how he held himself, straight and poised, seemingly superior to the others around him. He was lanky, most definitely on the tall side, but had hidden muscles underneath his white t-shirt. The boy was tanned too, even darker than her, and he looked as normal as normal can be.

Too bad Mare knew better than that.

Despite her instinctual uneasiness with complete strangers, she immediately felt pity when she saw his expression. Pained. Worried. He knelt in front of Minsi's form.

"God," he muttered.

"Conner," James said, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "She'll be fine. _Most_ of the blood isn't hers."

Conner twisted to look at James, his hand holding Minsi's and his blue eyes showing mock gratitude.

"Gee, James. Thanks for cheering me up."

James himself was mocking. "You're welcome."

And then he straightened and looked at the staircase Conner came from, like he was expecting something. "Where's your team?"

"Huh? Oh. We were out hunting at the grounds when I collapsed. When I woke up, I didn't bother telling them I was fine or where I was going, I was already on my way here."

James nodded. Mary-Lynette was thinking.

So… Minsi had a soulmate. It was pretty obvious, anyone with eyes could've known just seeing Conner arch his back around Minsi protectively, seeing his eyes assessing all the damage on her. And plus, there was a giveaway with the whole collapsing thing, just like this morning, when Mary-Lynette almost blacked out because of what happened to…

_No. Not gonna think about it yet. Later, when all this is over._

_Speaking off…_

"Um, Conner?" Conner's eyes quickly darted to her, they weren't hostile but they weren't all that friendly either, just guarding.

"Yes?"

"When you came here, did you see any other fights?"

He blinked, losing the expression. "Yeah, actually." He slammed a tanned hand to his forehead.

"Damn, I should have told you guys that first. I'd have been here sooner if it weren't for the fight."

"What fight?" James asked, horrified that what Hannah said was right. There were more.

Conner immediately began to attempt calming gestures with his hands. "Nah man, don't worry, it's about down. Maybe ten or more 'wolves ambushed Nilsson and the others in the staff quarters. The fight started there and ended all the way to the threshold and dining room.

"They took down about four before I came in, then I fought with them until six were down and a seventh had a bloody snout." Looking at his expression, Mare could tell he was ashamed of himself. "The rest got away before we could stop them, plus, we had injuries to take care off. The last thing I saw before leaving was Nilsson calling the witches from the infirmary over here."

"And that's nothing to worry about?" James challenged, his eyebrows slanted in a disbelieving look.

Conner paused and thought it over. "Well it is, but the injuries weren't too fatal. Besides, you and I both know how often this happens. All of Night World knows where Lord Thierry's mansion is, this was just like that one time when those 'shifters ruined the kitchen..."

"No. It's not." James cut in, a little roughly ffor him. "Only three ruined the kitchen, Conner, _three_. You just said there was the possibility of _ten_ werewolves in the fight."

"So it was larger than normal," he shrugged. "big deal."

"You don't get it do you?" Mary-Lynette's voice startled the two boys. Great, she was forgotten during the whole conversation. She looked at Conner and then at Minsi and then at Galen, who had been dozing off and leaning against the wall behind them all this time.

"Those two aren't hurt for nothing; didn't you even see the bodies downstairs and the one right here?" she pointed to Leona's form near the railings and tried to not let the bile rising in her throat interrupt.

The look on Conner's face told her he didn't and she almost told him off right there. But then Mary-Lynette remembered why he was here in the first place and couldn't blame him. If Ash were up here, hurt and nearby, she would have probably missed a body and four pelts of fur on her way too.

She continued with her point. "There was an attack here, with four werewolves and one shapeshifter. And you know what? They brought a bomb with them. A _bomb._If anything, this isn't normal. It's a real ambush."

Silence, and then Conner asked a sudden question. "How'd you get rid of the bomb?"

James and Mare exchanged a look before James told the story.

When he was done, Conner sighed. "Lonan? Yeah, I always knew he'd go as a hero."

"We all knew that." Was James's only reply.

"And you're right." Conner said, veering off-topic so fast Mary-Lynette had trouble catching up.

"About what?" she asked.

"About the attacks, something's going on." He looked at Minsi and then Galen. "We can't move them, can we?"

James sat back down on the ground, arms up in _'the Thinker'_ position. "No, why?"

"Why? We have to go to the infirmary of course, and then to Lord Thierry."

"Too late." said James. "Lady Hannah and Nissa were on their way there just ten minutes ago, they should be back soon—"

A sound of glass breaking reached them through the hall.

* * *

They all stood up as one. Even Galen.

"What was that?" he asked, still drowsy and holding his shoulder.

James shook his head. "There's only one way to find out." He turned. "Conner, I need you stay here with Minsi and Galen."

Mary-Lynette didn't hear his short protests, or his ultimate consent. She was already running.

It was nighttime already, which meant she had little light to see with. It didn't matter much anyway; she was running as fast as her already tired legs could go. The hallway blurred before her.

Then she slowed to a stop and everything was focused again, regardless of the pain and protests of her legs. She was breathing hard when she saw the same blue-and-white Victorian paneling from the other room. There weren't any decorations on the wall, just occasional doors.

None of that was relevant right now; Mary-Lynette's full attention was to the three people in front of her. Lord Thierry was one of them. He looked maybe eighteen or nineteen years old, but he looked ready to attend to business in his tweed jacket. His pale blond hair was neatly tousled, his dark eyes bottomless as he and Nissa's backs moved to the wall, arms up in a surrender position, facing the opposite way. Facing Lady Hannah.

Her face was carefully blank, lips pursed in silent determination and eyes expressing nothing. The only thing that gave her away was the sweat glistening along her forehead as she struggled to breathe. An act that required maximum effort due to the red spotted boa constrictor around her neck.

A struggle was evident from where Lady Hannah was standing; Mary-Lynette could practically see what had happened. The snake, it had to be at least 8-feet long, was hiding against the shadowed corners of the hall when Lady Hannah and Nissa were returning with Lord Thierry, running back to where they left the others. It struck as they passed, and judging by the heavy bruise on Nissa's infuriated face, it tripped her by the legs before shooting out at Lady Hannah, who struggled, with the result of the broken vase of roses and overturned tripod table, to get it off.

The four of them, including the snake, seemed to notice Mare for the first time. Nissa and Thierry were motionless for the most part, but were both sending warnings from the corners of their eyes. Hannah couldn't even move, the snake was coiled around her long elegant neck, its head bobbing up and down, facing Mary-Lynette, with its tail slithering on the other side. James came running right when Mary-Lynette gathered enough sense to stay still.

"Don't move." She half-yelled to the coming lamia.

Too late.

The snake, teasing them, gave a short, firm squeeze. Try as she may, Hannah couldn't stop herself from gasping and clutching at her neck from her blocked airways.

Thierry's fists clenched as both James and Nissa swore.

The snake continued to stare at Mary-Lynette, and she stared back. Daring it to attack her.

"Mary-Lynette, get back." James urged.

She felt around her backpack, careful to hold the snake's gaze. Mare expected to come up with her dagger; instead she found the edge of her smooth, sharpened stick.

_Whatever gets the job done, _she thought.

"Mare, I'm telling you. Get behind me."

For maybe the third time that day, she didn't listen. Mary-Lynette held her ground.

The snake flicked out its forked tongue.

"Mary-Lynette…"

Nissa and Thierry were lowering their hands. Nissa was inching towards James and Mare; Thierry looked ready to kill the over-sized worm.

The snake coiled and slithered, making Hannah shiver in spite of herself.

Mary-Lynette drew out the club.

"Get behind me _now_."

The snake uncoiled completely and struck out.

And Mary-Lynette didn't dodge it.

She doubled back at the snake's weight, fingers opening to her despair. Next thing she knew, she was on the ground, pinned down by some 60-pound, slimy, slithering, animal. Her oak spear was somewhere off to her side, way out of her reach.

She refused to flinch when the forked tongue brushed across her nose.

Mare felt the snake squirm its way around her neck, red and beige scales covering most of her peripheral vision. Her breathing had hitched and Mare could feel her lower lip begin to tremble as she felt the pressure. The weight itself was crushing Mary-Lynette's airways, plus, she _hated_ snakes. A fact she conveniently forgot when she was about to attack it. Mare was slightly ashamed to admit that she was about to throw up when she realized the most horrible thing.

It was going to kill her.

Mary-Lynette hadn't noticed it when the thing wrapped around her whole body, it was surely lengthy enough to do it, and she really hadn't noticed it when the floor seemed to writhe beneath her.

She stared, alarmed, straight up to the ceiling, the boa's hold restricting her from moving even a fraction of an inch. And Mare knew better than to squirm, so she forced her body to stay agonizingly still as her mouth tried to scream for help through the scaly, reptilian thing wrapped around it.

The first sign of pressure wasn't anything significant, but gradually, Mary-Lynette found herself struggling to breathe. And she forgot to stay still in the process. It wrapped around her again, tighter, its pointy head resting right above her nose. Face to snout.

It flicked out its tongue and hissed.

Mare thought she was going to pass out from sheer fright.

And that was _before_ Mary-Lynette was almost impaled.

The snake, which was raising its head and preparing to drag her away, now had her oak spear sticking out of the back of its neck, the sharpened tip slicing through it and stopping right in between Mare's eyes.

The rod withdrew as the snake dropped on top of her.

Focusing on her breathing, Mary-Lynette squirmed out from under the boa with much difficulty. Finally, James and Nissa bustled to help, and with a little wriggling, Mare was freed from the reptilian nightmare. Nissa helped her up.

She looked into Mary-Lynette's eyes, trying to see if her pupils were dilated in case of head trauma. "Are you okay, Mare?"

Mary-Lynette nodded. "Yeah. Nice job with the stick by the way."

Nissa wore a small smile as she shook her head. "I didn't do that. I was too far away to, and besides, it was clear that we had to stay still, or else the snake would have just squeezed you to death."

Frightening concept. "What? Then who—?"

She turned to Lady Hannah.

Lord Thierry was holding her staggering form up. Hannah's face was just like when she was suffocating from the snake's grip, struggling to retain an indifferent expression. Her unique mark looked rose red against her color-deprived cheek, but it wasn't as pale as her white knuckles. Knuckles that were grasping a splintering oak stick.

Mary-Lynette didn't know if she should be grateful or horrified. Right now, she felt a little of both. "Lady Hannah… you…?"

Hannah didn't look the type to kill; Mare could see that by the regret and loss of innocence on her face, it was the look Mary-Lynette should have after all this, if she weren't trying so hard to remain unmoved. The thing was: she knew that if she let one tear go, it wouldn't stop until she shriveled under her own guilt. And it was pointless too. It wasn't the time to cry yet, this was only the beginning.

Lady Hannah didn't lose the look when she smiled, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Now we're even."

Mary-Lynette was speechless. Hannah held up the stick and solemnly examined it. She took a few steps with Thierry's help and sheepishly held it out.

"I'm sorry, Mary-Lynette. I think I broke it."

It was true. Splinters and cracks had formed on the once smooth stick. Snakes must have had harder bones than she realized.

For the first time that day, Mary-Lynette laughed.

"It's fine. I didn't really use it much anyway."

Lord Thierry chuckled, his eyes looking a lot lighter now that Lady Hannah was safe. "Yes, but you will someday. We'll get you a new one, rest assured."

Mary-Lynette was about to say why bother, when she could just cut off a branch from any tree soon, when Nissa spoke up from the back.

"It's not fully dead."

James, the one who had just put the supposed corpse in the corner, looked shocked, well more shocked than everybody else at least. "What? But the stick went right through it."

"Snakes bones aren't like ours, Lady Hannah got one of its major precaudal vertebrae, it won't be able to move much, but it's still alive."

Hannah, who seemed more thrilled that she didn't kill it than anything else, asked, "It's a shapeshifter right? Then why didn't it shift back?"

Nissa fingered the animal lightly, then she stood up and faced them as she shook her head. Her black eye looked painful but being Nissa, she showed no sign of knowing it was there at all.

"No. It's not a shapeshifter, it's a real boa."

A short, shocked silence. Then Mary-Lynette spoke on behalf of the whole group. "How?"

"I don't know." She turned to Thierry. "What do you propose we do with it, Lord Thierry?"

He thought about it. Then, putting his hands in his pockets, he recovered his cell phone. "Same thing we're going to do with all the injured. The infirmary."

His fingers hovered over the numbers, deliberating who to call first.

"Malinda should be able to help it, or maybe Thea or Eric."

Right when he was about to press the pound button, the phone buzzed.

Thierry put it to his ear. "Thierry."

Mary-Lynette wandered about the hall, trying her best to not listen in on Thierry's conversation. The moon had finally risen, there was another window very much like the other one on the end of the hall, throwing everything into bright light.

Nissa and James were kneeling in front of the snake, discussing the hows and whys of a charmed snake. Hannah was picking up the vase and table, muttering something about why it was there in the middle of the hall anyways.

Thierry shut his phone.

"Nissa, James?"

Both of them stopped what they were doing immediately. _Impressive, _Mary-Lynette thought.

James and Nissa walked up to Thierry, moonlight shining in their ready and thoughtful eyes.

"Lord Thierry?" James pushed when he stayed silent. Nissa just looked frustrated, both by the snake and by what she knew Thierry would say.

"We have to go run perimeter, don't we?"

Thierry smiled. "Yes, but not without backups. James," He turned to the dark-haired boy, his features were icily handsome with just a hint of tightened apprehension. It was obvious he was still chewing over the whole 'ambush' thing. "I need you to call the healers—"

James cut in, somehow managing to sound not rude, but courteous. "Nilsson already did, sir."

The pale-blond vampire gave a small smile once more. "Really? He just earned himself a raise." Lady Hannah moved to his side and his smile grew until it finally touched his bottomless eyes. They looked perfect together… complete.

It was pathetic, but Mare almost cried after realizing that. She hasn't been complete in so long…

"I need you to help Nissa. Both of you gather anyone available and scout headquarters, and make sure the wards aren't broken, just in case." It was strange how he sounded so gentle yet authorative at the same time.

"Should I call the council to repair the wards, Lord Thierry?"

"That's not necessary Nissa, thank you, but I do think you should ask Winnie to re-strengthen the ones around the woods. She's very good at that. Or maybe…" He stopped to consider something.

"Let me look at your eye Nissa, I think it's swollen."

It was Nissa's turn to smile. "Thank you Lord Thierry, but my eye is fine. It's just a bruise. And Winnie will be very pleased with your compliment, sir."

"Come on Nissa." James said. "We should get going. Lord Thierry, Lady Hannah," James nodded towards the two, and then he turned to Mare. "Mary-Lynette."

Then they left.

Thierry looked at Mare.

It amazed her at how young, yet experienced, he looked. His dark eyes held a spark of sadness in them, a sadness Mary-Lynette thought she could relate to. And then he spoke.

"How did you get here Mary-Lynette? My apologies, but I am slightly curious."

"Oh." Even after all of this, she managed to be embarrassed. Mary-Lynette tried hard to hide the blush. "Well, it's a bit of a long story…"

So she told them, the two most important people in Circle Daybreak, what had happened in the last two weeks. They were both interested; Hannah even threw in some of her own comments about Blaise, earning a few chuckles from Mary-Lynette. But they all grew silent when the story hit the fight today.

The shapeshifter, the werewolves, the bomb. Mary-Lynette told Thierry all of it, with the help and assurance of Lady Hannah. Her voice stopped when she reached Lonan's part.

Thankfully, Thierry chose that moment to speak. He leaned against the wall. "A bomb… is that right?"

Both girls nodded.

He sighed. "It's worse than I thought. How'd you get rid of it?"

Gulping a few times, and having Lady Hannah's hand around her waist as support, Mary-Lynette finished the story.

Lord Thierry looked torn between an impressed or regrettable expression. He settled for comforting.

He didn't say anything else. Just began to retrieve his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Hannah asked. Her fair hair was still askew, and the used-to-be immaculate blouse she was wearing was a wrinkled mess, but she might as well have been bathed in sunlight for all the love Thierry was looking at her with. If a question could inspire that kind of emotion…

Mary-Lynette was happy for the two, yes, but she still couldn't help the wrench of jealousy inside her.

"I'm calling Nilsson."

"Why?"

"He's my personal driver; I need him to take us to the clearing." He started walking then, and the two followed him. Eventually, they reached a staircase, and they descended.

Mary-Lynette's curiosity, as always, got the better of her. "And why, may I ask, are we going to the clearing, sir?" She almost forgot the sir again. It was understandable though, the 'sir' did look young enough to be in college. This'll take a lot of getting used to, Mare thought.

Thierry had gotten off the phone a while ago. "Hmm? Well the clearing is the largest area at base. To be frank, it's large enough to land a jet in."

Hannah murmured an "Oh…" But it took a few minutes to let Mare get over her own denial.

"You mean—?"

"That's right."

They got off the stairs, Hannah and Thierry in silent apprehension and expectation, and Mary-Lynette in a numbed sort of daze.

Knowing that the other two were waiting for some sort of reaction from her, Mare kept her face blank, honestly oblivious to the fact that a tear slipped down her cheek. Talking around her unusually tightened throat, she stated the obvious.

"Ash is back."

**_Author's Note:_ Yes, it's true... this is the last chapter you'll read... 4 a month. =P The sad part is... i gave a major cliffie... Again ^_^ and this was the part u were all waiting 4 2... hope u guyz live thru the wait. :L**

**So wat'd u thinK? Honestly, I didn't think this one was all that good. Maybe it was because i was rushed into finishing it, *shrugs* didn't have much time for the crativity to flow. Sry 4 that.. =[ Tell me ur opinion pls? REVIEW!!!! and i'll wear a smile on my face as I get on the plane XD**

**Well... that's it 4 me... 4 now at least. **

**Goodbye, Cya'll in late Aug/early Sept!!!! And thx 4 reading!!! *cough*REVIEW*cough*cough***


	13. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: ****No ownership whatsoever... too bad for me huh? :{**

**Not much to say here, I'll talk to u guys at the bottom A/N... in the meantime... Read!!! **

**Chapter 12**

Falling wasn't so bad.

Just ask Mary-Lynette.

It took all of her courage to jump the second floor, thinking that it was probably the stupidest thing she'd ever do in her life, but really, it was pretty exhilarating. Her back was ram-rod straight as she aligned and readied her arms.

In a second she landed, as planned, on the back of an oblivious wolf.

Before he could even react, Mary-Lynette's dagger was already plunged into his gray streaked pelt, well into piercing his spinal cord. Dead or not, the thing dropped with nothing more than a whimper.

The rush of adrenaline prevented Mary-Lynette from feeling any remorse whatsoever.

She got up from the carcass and saw James's mouth openly agape. His brown hair was rumpled and doused in sweat; a battered fur carpet off to his right offered up an explanation to his labored breathing. Mary-Lynette didn't know why he was staring; _he_ was the one who killed a wolf with his bare hands. God knows how, though. James still hadn't closed his jaw and Mare was beginning to feel a tad bit annoyed.

_What? I can't jump a two-story mansion and kill a fully grown, fully trained werewolf on my way down? _

James finally managed to recuperate and hurriedly lost the surprised expression, replacing it with his usual secretive, thoughtful look.

"Thanks for dropping by."

Mary-Lynette shrugged, inconspicuously checking her arms for any damage. "My pleasure."

With no further ado, he rounded to help Galen with the last wolf. Mary-Lynette made her way to the mink-haired girl in the middle.

Nissa's fingers were actually blurring as she sought to find a switch or a button or maybe a stray piece of wire that could lead to the thing's diffusion. She didn't take her eyes off the thing as she addressed Mary-Lynette's approach.

"There's _nothing_." Her voice held as much emotion as she could convey, but it wasn't distress this time, it was resigned respect for the enemy's strategy.

"They really know how to make weapons these days."

"Nissa," Mary-Lynette shook the other girl, she hadn't killed twice in the last five minutes to just _give up_.

"Nissa, listen to me. We have one minute. I have a plan on getting rid of this thing—" Nissa's brown eyes sparked up at once, completely ready to do anything to destroy the threatening bomb and save everyone in the house. But then they blanked once more as cold logic made its way to her brain.

"How? There isn't anything in the house that could possibly contain this kind of explosion and even if there were we wouldn't be able to get it and be back in time." She placed her hands to her forehead. "We've got sixty-seconds and we don't have any options…"

Mare shook her again. "Yes, we do. I want you to throw the bomb."

"What?" Nissa was dumbstruck, as she should be. "Where?"

Mary-Lynette turned both her and Nissa's head to the second floor.

"Up _there_."

She practically heard Nissa stop breathing. Her voice was composed, as always, but Mare could identify startled worries in her undertone. "It won't make a difference Mary-Lynette; it'll still cover the whole of the mansion. And that's where Lady Hannah is… "

Nissa wouldn't cooperate. Which meant _she _had to do it.

Mary-Lynette mentally went over her plan one last time. It was crazy, a one-shot chance, and it just may work.

But there was a catch.

Quickly, trying her best to not think about that catch, she jerked the time bomb away from Nissa, who released it with a short gasp of surprise.

"Lonan!"

_Please be awake. Please be there._

Fortunately, or unfortunately, his messy jet head looked down from the railings, rubbing the top of his scalp. His eyes, focused and magnetic as ever, looked down questioningly.

Mare couldn't explain to him what was about to happen, couldn't explain to him what he was about to do. They were almost out of time. All she could do was fling her arm back and throw the bomb to his direction with everything she's got.

With a grunt from Mary-Lynette, the bomb was flying.

Mare only had one second to see understanding light up Lonan's features. Then he was smiling with bitter irony, and in the next second…

He was gone.

A shadowed raven caught the bomb by the side with its curving talons.

And then he disappeared. Out through the shattered window and into the descending night with nothing more than a haunting _caw_.

Approximately thirty seconds later, an explosion barely echoed through the walls. Out the window, perfectly visible for anyone to see, was a great burst of dark orange light. It spread out into a bigger circle, looking, to Mary-Lynette, like a mini-sized super nova. Lonan had gotten the bomb far and high enough for the rest to survive. He did his job well.

Mary-Lynette dropped to her knees.

"Mare." Nissa was helping her up. "Mary-Lynette, what you did—"

"—was the only thing you could do." James and Galen were behind them, helping Nissa get Mare on her feet. She didn't even notice the two boys or even the body of the last wolf a yard or two behind them; her unshed tears were still blocking most of her view.

"James is right," Galen began leading them upstairs. "you had no choice. And Lonan would have wanted you to do it."

Mary-Lynette didn't say anything; she just let the three lead her up the stairs. Once there they were confronted by an always calm Hannah, still trying to wake Minsi up.

"She stopped bleeding from open cuts, but I think her leg and one or two ribs are broken. She may even have a concussion." She got up and sighed, wiping some of her tears away.

"Does anyone have a cell phone?"

Galen shook his head, his left shoulder hanging a little bit awkwardly as he shrugged and gave a small smirk. "Lonan was the only one who brought his cell phone; you know how much he hates that rule."

Silence ensued. Galen immediately sobered and corrected himself as he looked out the window. "Hated."

Heavier silence ensued. Mary-Lynette was still fighting her own tears.

Nissa cleared her throat multiple times but her voice still quivered when she spoke. "I'm sure we can find a phone here somewhere, Lady Hannah."

Hannah shook her head. "This is an alcove Nissa, just a small part of the house. All the phone lines are in the living rooms."

If he was still here, Lonan would, without a doubt, have said: _"And just whose bright idea was that?"_ and they all knew it, which was why they all stayed silent for a little while longer.

"Why don't we go to Lord Thierry?" asked James, he was having trouble turning away from the window. "That was where we were going before this happened, right?"

Hannah nodded. "Yes, his office is close by, three or four more hallways. We could—" She put her hand to her cheek when she turned around.

"No. We can't. Minsi can't be moved without proper examination, and we can't all leave her."

"Why not?" Nissa was trying her best to be logical, even though Mary-Lynette could tell it was hard for her to talk about leaving Minsi in this state. "Lord Thierry's room isn't far, you said so yourself, we could be there and back before she wakes up."

"It's not just that. Haven't you guys noticed how no one came to help?"

Huh. She had a point.

Somewhere in the middle of all the conversation, Mary-Lynette had sunk to her knees next to Minsi. Now she got up.

"So what you're saying is: there might be more?" Adrenaline still surged through Mare's veins, tensing her body at the first sound of approaching enemies.

Nissa, still logical, said. "We have to split up." Her expression turned thoughtful, her brown eyes calculating, and then she turned to James.

"You're going to have to stay with these three." She motioned to Mare, Galen, and Minsi.

"But I—"

"They're all hurt, James. Galen's shoulder's dislocated, Minsi's out cold, and Mary-Lynette will probably die of over-exertion. Are you really going to let them fend for themselves if anybody else comes?"

He sighed in defeat; clearly he wouldn't win this argument. "Fine."

Nissa turned to the others. "Fine?"

"No. Definitely _not_ fine." Was what Mary-Lynette wanted to say. Instead, she just nodded weakly. Yes, she wanted to go and help as much as she can, but Nissa was dead on about that over-exertion thing. The adrenaline was wearing off, being replaced by a feeling of dream-like quality, like nothing that happened happened. It was all very confusing.

And plus, Lonan's loss was a hit on everyone. If this were a normal world, they'd all be talking about their feelings in an emotional way that somehow makes everything more bearable, something like therapy. Or maybe they'd all go out together, drowning their sorrows in shopping and/or sappy movies like all teenagers would.

Like all _normal _teenagers would.

But they weren't normal teenagers.

They were a group of teens that just made their way through a battle; bruised and beat with the life of a friend lost. The rage and regret made Mare want to fight, to forget everything in the ultimate high of adrenaline. She could feel Galen think about all of this beside her and knew that he'd just come to the same conclusion.

There wasn't anything they could do at this point, not in their condition.

And there was no point pretending otherwise.

Both Mary-Lynette and Galen nodded their reluctant consent to Nissa.

"Good. Lady Hannah and I will be back as soon as possible."

With a last look at the group, Nissa and Hannah turned around and sprinted through the hallway.

Mary-Lynette was pacing the whole length of the hall, waiting, when running footsteps had both her and James, the only two still well enough to fight, tensing.

"Minsi!" A boy she's never seen before ran towards them and James visibly relaxed. Mary-Lynette wasn't so sure. There was something about this boy…

Maybe it was his dull, black hair, falling carelessly into his sky-blue eyes. Or maybe it was how he held himself, straight and poised, seemingly superior to the others around him. He was lanky, most definitely on the tall side, but had hidden muscles underneath his white t-shirt. The boy was tanned too, even darker than her, and he looked as normal as normal can be.

Too bad Mare knew better than that.

Despite her instinctual uneasiness with complete strangers, she immediately felt pity when she saw his expression. Pained. Worried. He knelt in front of Minsi's form.

"God," he muttered.

"Conner," James said, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "She'll be fine. _Most_ of the blood isn't hers."

Conner twisted to look at James, his hand holding Minsi's and his blue eyes showing mock gratitude.

"Gee, James. Thanks for cheering me up."

James himself was mocking. "You're welcome."

And then he straightened and looked at the staircase Conner came from, like he was expecting something. "Where's your team?"

"Huh? Oh. We were out hunting at the grounds when I collapsed. When I woke up, I didn't bother telling them I was fine or where I was going, I was already on my way here."

James nodded. Mary-Lynette was thinking.

So… Minsi had a soulmate. It was pretty obvious, anyone with eyes could've known just seeing Conner arch his back around Minsi protectively, seeing his eyes assessing all the damage on her. And plus, there was a giveaway with the whole collapsing thing, just like this morning, when Mary-Lynette almost blacked out because of what happened to…

_No. Not gonna think about it yet. Later, when all this is over._

_Speaking off…_

"Um, Conner?" Conner's eyes quickly darted to her, they weren't hostile but they weren't all that friendly either, just guarding.

"Yes?"

"When you came here, did you see any other fights?"

He blinked, losing the expression. "Yeah, actually." He slammed a tanned hand to his forehead.

"Damn, I should have told you guys that first. I'd have been here sooner if it weren't for the fight."

"What fight?" James asked, horrified that what Hannah said was right. There were more.

Conner immediately began to attempt calming gestures with his hands. "Nah man, don't worry, it's about down. Maybe ten or more 'wolves ambushed Nilsson and the others in the staff quarters. The fight started there and ended all the way to the threshold and dining room.

"They took down about four before I came in, then I fought with them until six were down and a seventh had a bloody snout." Looking at his expression, Mare could tell he was ashamed of himself. "The rest got away before we could stop them, plus, we had injuries to take care off. The last thing I saw before leaving was Nilsson calling the witches from the infirmary over here."

"And that's nothing to worry about?" James challenged, his eyebrows slanted in a disbelieving look.

Conner paused and thought it over. "Well it is, but the injuries weren't too fatal. Besides, you and I both know how often this happens. All of Night World knows where Lord Thierry's mansion is, this was just like that one time when those 'shifters ruined the kitchen..."

"No. It's not." James cut in, a little roughly ffor him. "Only three ruined the kitchen, Conner, _three_. You just said there was the possibility of _ten_ werewolves in the fight."

"So it was larger than normal," he shrugged. "big deal."

"You don't get it do you?" Mary-Lynette's voice startled the two boys. Great, she was forgotten during the whole conversation. She looked at Conner and then at Minsi and then at Galen, who had been dozing off and leaning against the wall behind them all this time.

"Those two aren't hurt for nothing; didn't you even see the bodies downstairs and the one right here?" she pointed to Leona's form near the railings and tried to not let the bile rising in her throat interrupt.

The look on Conner's face told her he didn't and she almost told him off right there. But then Mary-Lynette remembered why he was here in the first place and couldn't blame him. If Ash were up here, hurt and nearby, she would have probably missed a body and four pelts of fur on her way too.

She continued with her point. "There was an attack here, with four werewolves and one shapeshifter. And you know what? They brought a bomb with them. A _bomb._If anything, this isn't normal. It's a real ambush."

Silence, and then Conner asked a sudden question. "How'd you get rid of the bomb?"

James and Mare exchanged a look before James told the story.

When he was done, Conner sighed. "Lonan? Yeah, I always knew he'd go as a hero."

"We all knew that." Was James's only reply.

"And you're right." Conner said, veering off-topic so fast Mary-Lynette had trouble catching up.

"About what?" she asked.

"About the attacks, something's going on." He looked at Minsi and then Galen. "We can't move them, can we?"

James sat back down on the ground, arms up in _'the Thinker'_ position. "No, why?"

"Why? We have to go to the infirmary of course, and then to Lord Thierry."

"Too late." said James. "Lady Hannah and Nissa were on their way there just ten minutes ago, they should be back soon—"

A sound of glass breaking reached them through the hall.

They all stood up as one. Even Galen.

"What was that?" he asked, still drowsy and holding his shoulder.

James shook his head. "There's only one way to find out." He turned. "Conner, I need you stay here with Minsi and Galen."

Mary-Lynette didn't hear his short protests, or his ultimate consent. She was already running.

It was nighttime already, which meant she had little light to see with. It didn't matter much anyway; she was running as fast as her already tired legs could go. The hallway blurred before her.

Then she slowed to a stop and everything was focused again, regardless of the pain and protests of her legs. She was breathing hard when she saw the same blue-and-white Victorian paneling from the other room. There weren't any decorations on the wall, just occasional doors.

None of that was relevant right now; Mary-Lynette's full attention was to the three people in front of her. Lord Thierry was one of them. He looked maybe eighteen or nineteen years old, but he looked ready to attend to business in his tweed jacket. His pale blond hair was neatly tousled, his dark eyes bottomless as he and Nissa's backs moved to the wall, arms up in a surrender position, facing the opposite way. Facing Lady Hannah.

Her face was carefully blank, lips pursed in silent determination and eyes expressing nothing. The only thing that gave her away was the sweat glistening along her forehead as she struggled to breathe. An act that required maximum effort due to the red spotted boa constrictor around her neck.

A struggle was evident from where Lady Hannah was standing; Mary-Lynette could practically see what had happened. The snake, it had to be at least 8-feet long, was hiding against the shadowed corners of the hall when Lady Hannah and Nissa were returning with Lord Thierry, running back to where they left the others. It struck as they passed, and judging by the heavy bruise on Nissa's infuriated face, it tripped her by the legs before shooting out at Lady Hannah, who struggled, with the result of the broken vase of roses and overturned tripod table, to get it off.

The four of them, including the snake, seemed to notice Mare for the first time. Nissa and Thierry were motionless for the most part, but were both sending warnings from the corners of their eyes. Hannah couldn't even move, the snake was coiled around her long elegant neck, its head bobbing up and down, facing Mary-Lynette, with its tail slithering on the other side. James came running right when Mary-Lynette gathered enough sense to stay still.

"Don't move." She half-yelled to the coming lamia.

Too late.

The snake, teasing them, gave a short, firm squeeze. Try as she may, Hannah couldn't stop herself from gasping and clutching at her neck from her blocked airways.

Thierry's fists clenched as both James and Nissa swore.

The snake continued to stare at Mary-Lynette, and she stared back. Daring it to attack her.

"Mary-Lynette, get back." James urged.

She felt around her backpack, careful to hold the snake's gaze. Mare expected to come up with her dagger; instead she found the edge of her smooth, sharpened stick.

_Whatever gets the job done, _she thought.

"Mare, I'm telling you. Get behind me."

For maybe the third time that day, she didn't listen. Mary-Lynette held her ground.

The snake flicked out its forked tongue.

"Mary-Lynette…"

Nissa and Thierry were lowering their hands. Nissa was inching towards James and Mare; Thierry looked ready to kill the over-sized worm.

The snake coiled and slithered, making Hannah shiver in spite of herself.

Mary-Lynette drew out the club.

"Get behind me _now_."

The snake uncoiled completely and struck out.

And Mary-Lynette didn't dodge it.

She doubled back at the snake's weight, fingers opening to her despair. Next thing she knew, she was on the ground, pinned down by some 60-pound, slimy, slithering, animal. Her oak spear was somewhere off to her side, way out of her reach.

She refused to flinch when the forked tongue brushed across her nose.

Mare felt the snake squirm its way around her neck, red and beige scales covering most of her peripheral vision. Her breathing had hitched and Mare could feel her lower lip begin to tremble as she felt the pressure. The weight itself was crushing Mary-Lynette's airways, plus, she _hated_ snakes. A fact she conveniently forgot when she was about to attack it. Mare was slightly ashamed to admit that she was about to throw up when she realized the most horrible thing.

It was going to kill her.

Mary-Lynette hadn't noticed it when the thing wrapped around her whole body, it was surely lengthy enough to do it, and she really hadn't noticed it when the floor seemed to writhe beneath her.

She stared, alarmed, straight up to the ceiling, the boa's hold restricting her from moving even a fraction of an inch. And Mare knew better than to squirm, so she forced her body to stay agonizingly still as her mouth tried to scream for help through the scaly, reptilian thing wrapped around it.

The first sign of pressure wasn't anything significant, but gradually, Mary-Lynette found herself struggling to breathe. And she forgot to stay still in the process. It wrapped around her again, tighter, its pointy head resting right above her nose. Face to snout.

It flicked out its tongue and hissed.

Mare thought she was going to pass out from sheer fright.

And that was _before_ Mary-Lynette was almost impaled.

The snake, which was raising its head and preparing to drag her away, now had her oak spear sticking out of the back of its neck, the sharpened tip slicing through it and stopping right in between Mare's eyes.

The rod withdrew as the snake dropped on top of her.

Focusing on her breathing, Mary-Lynette squirmed out from under the boa with much difficulty. Finally, James and Nissa bustled to help, and with a little wriggling, Mare was freed from the reptilian nightmare. Nissa helped her up.

She looked into Mary-Lynette's eyes, trying to see if her pupils were dilated in case of head trauma. "Are you okay, Mare?"

Mary-Lynette nodded. "Yeah. Nice job with the stick by the way."

Nissa wore a small smile as she shook her head. "I didn't do that. I was too far away to, and besides, it was clear that we had to stay still, or else the snake would have just squeezed you to death."

Frightening concept. "What? Then who—?"

She turned to Lady Hannah.

Lord Thierry was holding her staggering form up. Hannah's face was just like when she was suffocating from the snake's grip, struggling to retain an indifferent expression. Her unique mark looked rose red against her color-deprived cheek, but it wasn't as pale as her white knuckles. Knuckles that were grasping a splintering oak stick.

Mary-Lynette didn't know if she should be grateful or horrified. Right now, she felt a little of both. "Lady Hannah… you…?"

Hannah didn't look the type to kill; Mare could see that by the regret and loss of innocence on her face, it was the look Mary-Lynette should have after all this, if she weren't trying so hard to remain unmoved. The thing was: she knew that if she let one tear go, it wouldn't stop until she shriveled under her own guilt. And it was pointless too. It wasn't the time to cry yet, this was only the beginning.

Lady Hannah didn't lose the look when she smiled, a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Now we're even."

Mary-Lynette was speechless. Hannah held up the stick and solemnly examined it. She took a few steps with Thierry's help and sheepishly held it out.

"I'm sorry, Mary-Lynette. I think I broke it."

It was true. Splinters and cracks had formed on the once smooth stick. Snakes must have had harder bones than she realized.

For the first time that day, Mary-Lynette laughed.

"It's fine. I didn't really use it much anyway."

Lord Thierry chuckled, his eyes looking a lot lighter now that Lady Hannah was safe. "Yes, but you will someday. We'll get you a new one, rest assured."

Mary-Lynette was about to say why bother, when she could just cut off a branch from any tree soon, when Nissa spoke up from the back.

"It's not fully dead."

James, the one who had just put the supposed corpse in the corner, looked shocked, well more shocked than everybody else at least. "What? But the stick went right through it."

"Snakes bones aren't like ours, Lady Hannah got one of its major precaudal vertebrae, it won't be able to move much, but it's still alive."

Hannah, who seemed more thrilled that she didn't kill it than anything else, asked, "It's a shapeshifter right? Then why didn't it shift back?"

Nissa fingered the animal lightly, then she stood up and faced them as she shook her head. Her black eye looked painful but being Nissa, she showed no sign of knowing it was there at all.

"No. It's not a shapeshifter, it's a real boa."

A short, shocked silence. Then Mary-Lynette spoke on behalf of the whole group. "How?"

"I don't know." She turned to Thierry. "What do you propose we do with it, Lord Thierry?"

He thought about it. Then, putting his hands in his pockets, he recovered his cell phone. "Same thing we're going to do with all the injured. The infirmary."

His fingers hovered over the numbers, deliberating who to call first.

"Malinda should be able to help it, or maybe Thea or Eric."

Right when he was about to press the pound button, the phone buzzed.

Thierry put it to his ear. "Thierry."

Mary-Lynette wandered about the hall, trying her best to not listen in on Thierry's conversation. The moon had finally risen, there was another window very much like the other one on the end of the hall, throwing everything into bright light.

Nissa and James were kneeling in front of the snake, discussing the hows and whys of a charmed snake. Hannah was picking up the vase and table, muttering something about why it was there in the middle of the hall anyways.

Thierry shut his phone.

"Nissa, James?"

Both of them stopped what they were doing immediately. _Impressive, _Mary-Lynette thought.

James and Nissa walked up to Thierry, moonlight shining in their ready and thoughtful eyes.

"Lord Thierry?" James pushed when he stayed silent. Nissa just looked frustrated, both by the snake and by what she knew Thierry would say.

"We have to go run perimeter, don't we?"

Thierry smiled. "Yes, but not without backups. James," He turned to the dark-haired boy, his features were icily handsome with just a hint of tightened apprehension. It was obvious he was still chewing over the whole 'ambush' thing. "I need you to call the healers—"

James cut in, somehow managing to sound not rude, but courteous. "Nilsson already did, sir."

The pale-blond vampire gave a small smile once more. "Really? He just earned himself a raise." Lady Hannah moved to his side and his smile grew until it finally touched his bottomless eyes. They looked perfect together… complete.

It was pathetic, but Mare almost cried after realizing that. She hasn't been complete in so long…

"I need you to help Nissa. Both of you gather anyone available and scout headquarters, and make sure the wards aren't broken, just in case." It was strange how he sounded so gentle yet authorative at the same time.

"Should I call the council to repair the wards, Lord Thierry?"

"That's not necessary Nissa, thank you, but I do think you should ask Winnie to re-strengthen the ones around the woods. She's very good at that. Or maybe…" He stopped to consider something.

"Let me look at your eye Nissa, I think it's swollen."

It was Nissa's turn to smile. "Thank you Lord Thierry, but my eye is fine. It's just a bruise. And Winnie will be very pleased with your compliment, sir."

"Come on Nissa." James said. "We should get going. Lord Thierry, Lady Hannah," James nodded towards the two, and then he turned to Mare. "Mary-Lynette."

Then they left.

Thierry looked at Mare.

It amazed her at how young, yet experienced, he looked. His dark eyes held a spark of sadness in them, a sadness Mary-Lynette thought she could relate to. And then he spoke.

"How did you get here Mary-Lynette? My apologies, but I am slightly curious."

"Oh." Even after all of this, she managed to be embarrassed. Mary-Lynette tried hard to hide the blush. "Well, it's a bit of a long story…"

So she told them, the two most important people in Circle Daybreak, what had happened in the last two weeks. They were both interested; Hannah even threw in some of her own comments about Blaise, earning a few chuckles from Mary-Lynette. But they all grew silent when the story hit the fight today.

The shapeshifter, the werewolves, the bomb. Mary-Lynette told Thierry all of it, with the help and assurance of Lady Hannah. Her voice stopped when she reached Lonan's part.

Thankfully, Thierry chose that moment to speak. He leaned against the wall. "A bomb… is that right?"

Both girls nodded.

He sighed. "It's worse than I thought. How'd you get rid of it?"

Gulping a few times, and having Lady Hannah's hand around her waist as support, Mary-Lynette finished the story.

Lord Thierry looked torn between an impressed or regrettable expression. He settled for comforting.

He didn't say anything else. Just began to retrieve his cell phone.

"Who are you calling?" Hannah asked. Her fair hair was still askew, and the used-to-be immaculate blouse she was wearing was a wrinkled mess, but she might as well have been bathed in sunlight for all the love Thierry was looking at her with. If a question could inspire that kind of emotion…

Mary-Lynette was happy for the two, yes, but she still couldn't help the wrench of jealousy inside her.

"I'm calling Nilsson."

"Why?"

"He's my personal driver; I need him to take us to the clearing." He started walking then, and the two followed him. Eventually, they reached a staircase, and they descended.

Mary-Lynette's curiosity, as always, got the better of her. "And why, may I ask, are we going to the clearing, sir?" She almost forgot the sir again. It was understandable though, the 'sir' did look young enough to be in college. This'll take a lot of getting used to, Mare thought.

Thierry had gotten off the phone a while ago. "Hmm? Well the clearing is the largest area at base. To be frank, it's large enough to land a jet in."

Hannah murmured an "Oh…" But it took a few minutes to let Mare get over her own denial.

"You mean—?"

"That's right."

They got off the stairs, Hannah and Thierry in silent apprehension and expectation, and Mary-Lynette in a numbed sort of daze.

Knowing that the other two were waiting for some sort of reaction from her, Mare kept her face blank, honestly oblivious to the fact that a tear slipped down her cheek. Talking around her unusually tightened throat, she stated the obvious.

"Ash is back."

_**Author's Note:**_** Yes, it's true... this is the last chapter you'll read... 4 a month. =P The sad part is... i gave a major cliffie... Again ^_^ and this was the part u were all waiting 4 2... hope u guyz live thru the wait. :L**

**So wat'd u thinK? Honestly, I didn't think this one was all that good. Maybe it was because i was rushed into finishing it, *shrugs* didn't have much time for the crativity to flow. Sry 4 that.. =[ Tell me ur opinion pls? REVIEW!!!! and i'll wear a smile on my face as I get on the plane XD**

**Well... that's it 4 me... 4 now at least. **

**Goodbye, Cya'll in late Aug/early Sept!!!! And thx 4 reading!!! *cough*REVIEW*cough*cough***


	14. Chapter 13

_**Disclaimer**__**: No ownership.**_

_**How long has it been? 3-4 weeks? W-O-W…. my bad…. I'll talk to all of you down there.. **_

_**7,000+ words for this one =D**_

**Chapter 14**

The base was just as big as everyone made it out to be.

Mary-Lynette was standing in what seemed to be a walkway garden, complete with nocturnal, blooming flowers and cleanly pruned hedges outlining a triangular path to a fancy, polished, vine covered archway. Dragonflies and cicadas hummed through the night, furthering the impression of the ideal summer meadow. Now Mare felt like the Mary in Frances Burnett's _Secret Garden._ It wasn't an entirely bad feeling, at least she could breathe here.

It definitely beat the Vegas she's been in.

She stretched her neck a bit to get a better view of her beloved stars. Mary-Lynette hadn't seen them in ages, so she actually forgot how much her breath stopped at their sheer splendor. They shone and twinkled and dazzled, sparkling in a pattern no one could possibly understand. Without making a conscious decision to do it, Mary-Lynette was starting to name out her constellations.

Then something else caught her eye. Beyond the archway, Mare could see bright lights in the shape of circles, high and far from where she was. If she had to guess, Mary-Lynette would say they were windows.

"Beautiful, ain't it?" Nat's face glowed with genuine warmth and wonder as he took a step toward her. Mare fought to not cringe. So many similarities…

But he didn't take another step, instead, his eyes roamed upward. At first, Mary-Lynette thought he was gesturing towards the light on the other side, but then she got it.

The moon was directly above them now, a mere crescent in the wide expanse of stars and night surrounding it. To Mary-Lynette, it wasn't all too bright, the stars surely shone more, but to Nat? It must look glorious.

Imani, who was admiring some snowflake narcissuses in the garden, was just as obsessed, though she did it in a less obvious way, only sneaking glances to the sky. Even Zeff, who had worn an impassive expression since she met him, was looking up and smiling, if only a little bit.

They were all true werewolves.

And Nat, standing so close to her right_… _so much like Jeremy_ …_

To distract herself, Mary-Lynette bobbed her head side to side, trying to portray the image of Sherlock Holmes investigating an interesting find. She did a quick 180 and found herself staring at a brick wall. With a start, she realized it was the wall she just passed through.

So this is what it looks like from the inside, Mare thought. It was a mosaic of red and orange and beige bricks, only breaking for a white archway in the middle, neatly identical to the one at the front. It stretched as far as her eyes could see. In the middle of the arch was a black void, showing no signs of the wall behind it or the slightest possibility of an invisible door there.  
She almost convinced herself of that when the wall rippled, almost parting, as Lady Hannah and Lord Thierry stepped through, hand in hand.

Lady Hannah smiled. "So? What do you think?" Her eyes sparkled and shimmered like flashing pearls, and Mare found herself smiling in spite of all the turmoil and disbelief inside of her.

"It's… _amazing_." She caught the glow behind Hannah's face and Thierry's proud smile form at the statement. But the euphoria was dying away. Her memories and distress of what had, and what was going to, happen came rushing back all at once.

"But..."

She said one word. One word that made the night heavily bleak and the stars shine that much dimmer.

"Ash."

* * *

Ash must be dreaming. Or was he dead?

He couldn't even remember what had happened to him.

But surely Ash couldn't be alive. Surely he was already too far gone for help.

Because surely, surely, that pulling in his chest was just his comatose brain going into its last delusion. He was dead. He shouldn't be able to feel anything. His heart should be dead with him.

So why did it hurt so much?

* * *

The sun had gone down long before Jade dragged Kestrel out of the house. Not that Kestrel wasn't curious, she was, she just thought it was cruddy luck this would happen when she felt so messed up. Her headache hasn't cooperated at all. If she didn't know she was a vampire, Kestrel would blame it on microscopic bacterium.

Shadows morphed and changed as they walked through the forest, forcing Kestrel to heighten her senses to the max for obvious reasons. Jade was in front of her, leading the way on a muddy dirt path as rain drops began to fall onto awaiting trees. She was worried for her sister, no matter how many times she thought Jade to be a nuisance, Kestrel cared about her. She'd just never admit it in words. Actions speak louder, she thought. Which is why she came with the pale blond lamia without a single protest or snide comment. Kestrel didn't believe in abandoning family.

_Which reminds me… Rowan hadn't sensed anything odd. Or she'd have joined us already…_

For all Kestrel knew, Rowan had been feeding on Sheila, one of their goats, when Jade woke her up. Which meant Jade hadn't sent out an automatic thought of panic, or told Rowan about it herself. Maybe her little sister was smarter than Kestrel gave her credit for.

"Jade, slow down." She wouldn't have her little sister in front, open to any attack. There were drooping branches at both their sides, and they were beginning to look like clawed fingers. The very thought of annoying, irritating little Jade getting hurt made Kestrel bare her teeth.

"Jade."

"I don't think he's going to make it Kestrel, I really don't." Jade had been crying a few seconds ago, but now she sounded more herself. Death didn't affect them as much as humans, they were Night People and they should be used to death and all the ways to cause it. Aunt Burdock's death didn't faze them, why should this?

At least, that's what Kestrel was telling herself.

"Who is he anyway?" Jade, the uninformative, had failed to mention that specific detail. "And how'd _you_ find him?"

The girl finally turned, hair swinging and shining an angelic glow despite the dim light of the moon. If Rowan was a queen, Jade was an angel. Her sleeveless, immaculate shirt was as long as a tunic on her delicate frame, and the ends of matching pale-white shorts peeked out from under it. One could actually expect her to grow wings and fly off. The pale green of her eyes looked at Kestrel the way a toddler would look at its teddy bear. Loving and trusting.

"Tiggy was out again. Me and Mark—"

"Wait. Mark's out here? Alone?" Even Jade couldn't be that stupid.

"No." she said defensively, stubbornly, like a child saying it wasn't her who stole the cookies from the cookie jar. "Tiggy's with him."

"Well as long as the cat's with him." Kestrel pointed out. Jade fumed, her elfin face pinching in with sisterly defiance.

"Tiggy's very brave you know. And smart. He was the one who found the body."

"Fine. I'll get him a ball of yarn when we get back. Now who did you find?"

"I don't know." Jade hit herself halfheartedly on her forehead. "I've never seen him before—"

She didn't get to finish.

Somewhere to her left, high in the trees, Kestrel heard a branch creak.

"Get down!" she yelled as she pushed Jade off to her side. Even as Kestrel said it, something flew down from the White oak trees, tackling her to the ground and pinning her there.

She only had time to see Jade's stricken face before a pair of fangs encompassed her vision.

Oh god, what have we gotten ourselves into?

* * *

Jade stood frozen for only a second.

And then she pounced.

Nobody was going to hurt her sister. _Nobody._

Hands clawed, fangs lengthened, she tackled the stranger with one swift movement, and then she was on him. But not for long.

He kicked and scratched for seconds and then _he _was on _her_. And he had fangs.

There was another vampire in Oregon. And he was going to kill her.

Jade could see it. Her hands had fallen behind her when she was wrestled down, her legs were being expertly pinned by the attacker's weight, and then he was pressing an elbow to her throat, rendering her neck, and fangs, the most important weapon of a vampire, nonfunctional. None of her limbs could budge, not even with her supernatural strength. She was useless. Just as always.

The man smiled as he realized this.

She studied his features as he bent down to kill her. He had dark brown eyes and equally dark, long brown hair pulled into a messy ponytail. He wore something like a dark sweater and black jeans, smart if you wanted to blend in with the night. The guy was handsome, yes, but Jade felt repulsed at the thought of his lips touching her neck. Sucking the very life out of her…

"Idiot."

Jade didn't know who Kestrel was referring to, but she couldn't have loved her sister enough when she saw what she was doing.

Kestrel's fearless eyes were scorching as she yanked the vampire's head up by his hair, and she looked absolutely mad when she pushed the tip of a broken off branch to his neck. Jade wanted to squeal and giggle right there.

"Rookie mistake." Kestrel said, pressing the wood in deeper, actually drawing out a pinprick of blood.

The vampire smiled with his fangs, not at all concerned about the situation. Then he talked and Jade was surprised to hear a Russian accent. "That's what you think."

Another second. Another creaking branch.

Kestrel barely had enough time to curse as another form, a woman by the looks of it, had her arms around her in a neck-snapping angle.

"Be a good girl now." The woman cooed in another Russian accent.

Kestrel snarled.

Fangs slid out from the woman's cherry red lips as she smiled. Two enemies, both made vampires.

Well, this was quite a dilemma wasn't it? If Kestrel turned to attack the woman, the male vampire would finish Jade off in a heartbeat. If she dropped her weapon and surrendered, they were both dead, but if Kestrel killed the male vampire, her neck was at just the right angle for the woman to snap it. Jade was still struggling to move from under the man's weight, and if it weren't for the fact that she could hold her breath longer than a hippopotamus, she'd be dead by now.

There was no win-win situation. At the very least, one person was going to die here.

Jade gave her sister one long, meaningful stare. She had no idea what she was conveying; just that whatever she chose, she would be there by her side. Then another second passed like a small eternity as she saw her sister's gold eyes grow fierce again.

Kestrel made her choice.

Silent and subtle as a lone raindrop, Kestrel sent Jade a telepathic thought. She held in her gasp as she felt her sister's golden flame of a mind inside her own.

_Run. Don't look back. Get Mark and go to Rowan. Then keep running._

_Kestrel…_Jade felt dizzy with using so much Power for mind linking. She had kept her pact with Rowan and hadn't used it for months, maybe a year. That should be the same for Kestrel, but she looked so strong. She even had enough Power to construct walls around her thoughts. The other two won't be able to hear or understand their private conversation, so long as they keep their expressions to a minimum.

_Kestrel… but what about you?_

Kestrel smiled, neck high, knowing full well the lady's arms were tightening, ready to break it at a moment's notice.

_Don't look back,_ she repeated. And then she plunged the conveniently sharp branch inside the vampire's throat.

Through the link, Jade could feel Kestrel's own shock. She'd never killed like this before, not even with humans. Deep inside, just a little bit, Kestrel felt self-revulsion. The rest was brutal satisfaction. Jade even caught a whiff of her thoughts.

_Good. That's what you get—_

She never finished.

The woman hissed as the man's form dropped on top of Jade, spilling a few pints of his blood onto her, and subsequently, giving her the freedom of movement. She hastily got up, not wanting to get even a drop of that monster's life force inside her. But she never got the chance to run. There was a sound nearby; it was vicious, definitely unprecedented.

No, it wasn't Kestrel's neck snapping, though she was dangerously close to it, Jade saw the way the woman's arms constricted and twisted her head, it was a yowl. To be more accurate, it sounded like: _maowah. _It was the kind of noise that made you think of bigfoot and aliens.

That all happened in less than a second, next thing Jade knew, something was launching itself out of the trees, and for a nerve-wracking heartbeat, Jade thought it was another vampire. And then she got a good look at it, mid-flight. She actually grinned.

_Tiggy!_

The black cat landed on the woman's curly brown hair, scratching and hissing and spitting. He made lots of _yows _and _maows, _which translated, would probably equate to dozens of obscenities. Before long, the woman's arms released Kestrel's straining neck and shot up to swat at the furry demon ruining her hair do. The scene was almost too comical, and Jade had the irrational urge to giggle. Even Kestrel had trouble keeping a straight face for a moment.

Her sister didn't waste a moment more.

Swift as lightning, Kestrel dove for the discarded stick and attacked the woman. They struggled for a minute but then there was a spurt of brownish-red, and the woman was down.

Then that was it.

They had survived.

The high of living was almost too giddy for the sisters as they smiled at each other, both relishing in the fact that they were both alive. Now maybe, if they could just keep this a secret from Rowan—

"Jade, Kestrel!" Rowan burst through the thickets. Her chestnut hair splayed behind her like a coat, some strands even fell in front of her flushed and worried face. When she saw the two bodies on the ground, and the stains they had made, that worried look turned to one of pure distress.

In the pale sliver of moonlight, the blood looked brown, like chocolate, but all three of the sisters were disgusted by it. It was vampire blood. Vampire blood didn't carry oxygen, it didn't provide any use for them besides staining their clothes, and maybe getting Kestrel convicted for defensible murder.

Rowan casted a tormented look at Kestrel, and then at Jade. Her mahogany eyes not wavering an inch.

"What have you two done?"

* * *

Maybe Kestrel should've let herself get killed after all. It was certainly a much better fate than seeing _that_ look on Rowan's face.

Apprehension, frustration, suspicion. But worst of all, disappointment. All masking her usual queenly glow.

Rowan looked white, even paler than alabaster.

And it was all Kestrels' fault.

_It wasn't Jade. _Kestrel was so strung up; she forgot to hide her newly strengthened ability before it was too late. Rowan's eyes roved to hers ever so gently.

_I know it wasn't. _

Ouch. She really should have let the woman decapitate her. Rowan's tone was gentle, never arrogant or haughty, but the meaning unmistakable. She knew it was all Kestrels' fault too.

"I'm sorry." There was nothing else for Kestrel to say.

Jade looked both bewildered and determined to take the blame herself. "It wasn't Kestrel's fault either, it was mine, I think. I was the one who came out here _alone. _Without telling _anybody_."

"Actually, it was Tiggy's fault. Stupid cat just _had_ to find a corpse." Kestrel said it in a dispassionate manner, trying to convey that she had better things to do than justify her murders. Of course, all she did was slip up again.

Rowan clenched her teeth and forced out, "_What_ corpse?"

Jade was sitting back down on the dirt; legs crossed, eyes wide, and avoiding the pool of blood, looking the picture of innocence when she answered. "The one Tiggy found."

No sooner had she spoken the words that running footsteps began to make themselves heard behind her, the runner hidden by the shadows and outgrowths of the trees. Kestrel wasn't alarmed, no competent vampire would make so much noise. Which means she knew exactly who it was.

"Jade. Boyfriend alert." She murmured.

The pale blond paled.

"Oh, god. If he sees this…"

Kestrel knew what she meant, if Mark saw the bodies, he'd flip, but there was nothing they could do. They'd have to rely on the shadows, dim moonlight, and pure luck for secrecy.

Mark arrived seconds after, blue eyes calling out to the three he so desperately needed to talk to.

And he was carrying something.

Oh _crap._

The body. He was carrying the body.

From a few feet, Kestrel tried to make out the details. Male, obviously. Black buttoned up polo shirt, faded blue jeans. And something white and black at his wrist...

Mark stopped in front of them, paying no heed to the subtle bloodshed. The girls were all grateful for inferior human sight. His hair was mussed, thrown around like he's been pulling his hands through it, and his pants were covered in dirt from kneeling most of the night. He looked awful.

"I—I…" he gulped and swallowed, making a few sticky noises at the back of his throat. Kestrel was glad when Jade went over and gave him a few helpful thwacks on the back. Finally, he managed a stable sentence. "I… think he's breathing."

His arms shook as he fought dead-weight and his own fatigue. Kestrel would have offered to carry it, but something held her back. The headache she had prolonged by adrenaline was coming back full-on, times two.

Then she realized how foolish it was, letting a headache get the best of a vampire. Ridiculous even. She snuck another peek at the deathly pale, if not _already_ dead, body, ignoring the ominous warnings her instincts were screaming at her.

Ah, yes. Kestrel could carry him. He looked lithe and able. His ankle caught her attention, it was all bent and scrunched up, but broken from what, a fight? No, not logical. Jade said she's never seen him before, so he couldn't have known the woods well enough to bring a couple of friends and start a fistfight. He fell then.

Kestrel's gaze crept upwards. His arms looked fine, limp and white as chalk, but not broken. So, he landed on the front of his feet at the brunt of his fall. And didn't Jade say she found him under a pile of leaves? So he had used the trees to delay his fall, maybe attaining a few scars and splinters, but luckily avoided getting impaled. This guy was either smart, or a miracle worker.

And the face… the face she couldn't see. It was turned towards Mark, who was by now beginning to set the boy down. She was assessing his messy, ebony hair when she saw it.

A flash of black and white.

Kestrel zeroed in on that flash immediately. It had bothered her when she first saw it, like the feeling one gets when they've seen something familiar but not know where it's from. A wristband. That was what it was. A white wristband… with a black flower.

A black lily.

Kestrel knew of only one person who had that kind of wristband…

Everything in her world fell as the splitting headache reached a record-breaking frequency.

Oh my god. It's _Lonan._

* * *

"What do you mean, 'I have to _wait.'_?"

"Mare," Hannah began but Mary-Lynette wouldn't have any of it. Wait? After already waiting for so long? _And _going on this God-forsaken adventure? She didn't think so.

"But we're already _here _aren't we?" Mare was starting to lose it. She wanted nothing more than to just curl up in a ball, sleep, and forget about everything, yes, but what she wanted didn't matter anymore. And besides, she was _so _close, she couldn't stop now. It felt like having someone trip you a foot away from the finish line.

And they _were_ near. At least, that's what Nat and the others said when they left. Mary-Lynette was used to taking things into her own hands, so she asked for directions herself. Lord Thierry and Lady Hannah didn't mind, they both thought it was a good idea for her to be familiar with the area's schematics.

* * *

"You'll see two paths ahead of here." Nat had said after he announced that they were heading back to meet up with their leader. Mare hadn't bothered to ask who that was at the time, it wasn't relevant.

Nat gestured towards the archway as Imani and Zeff started for the back, the two looking eager, even Zeff, to see what had happened.

"And those will branch out to others, and then those will branch out to more. But you don't need to go there yet, what you want is the main route to the right. That goes directly to the hospital and training area. It's where people, mostly witches, practice their skills, but you don't need to know about that yet either," Mary-Lynette briefly imagined what that would look like as she gazed at the scene in front of her. The lone, spherical light was still there, still shining like a halo, it gave everything a more ethereal glow than it already had.

_Maybe it'd be like Blaise's place, with all the herbs and stones. Maybe I could learn more about magic there. _

"What you're looking for is the clearing behind it. It's one of the two landings we've got, and where Ash's plane will end up." Mare took a reflexive short breath. "It'll be like, 30 minutes to an hour's walk from here to there." Nat's hand rose to the back of his neck as he gave a confused smile. "Are you sure we can leave? We can give you a ride if you still need it."

Imani looked equally helpful, Zeff looked exasperated.

Nonchalantly, he said. "Nat. Minsi."

She absolutely had no idea how Zeff managed to pack so much meaning in so few words. The white streak in his hair stood in stark contrast to his black spikes as he nodded towards the exit. He looked intimidating in both his tone and demeanor. But Imani's eyes shone a sharp orange as she sided with him.

"I'm sorry, Mary-Lynette. We do have to go." Mare nodded, trying to show that she didn't mind at all. A long walk in these serene surroundings sounded like the next best thing to sleeping.

"I hope Minsi's well."

Imani smiled and her braided curls bounced as she nodded back.

Zeff's frown eased up a bit. Mary-Lynette even thought he looked pleased.

Both of them exited through the brick wall after they sent their regards to the Lord and Lady. A slight ripple, like a rock being thrown at a puddle of water, and they were through.

The boy beside Mare seemed less certain than his pack members but he left nonetheless, giving a respectful nod to Thierry and Hannah and a fleeting smile to Mary-Lynette. She knew she shouldn't have, but Mare smiled back. It was only a 'thank-you' smile anyway.

And then the Jeremy-look-a-like was gone too.

* * *

Eventually, Mary-Lynette was walking a perfectly paved path after following Nat's instructions. Trees and bushes and flowers aligned the sides, as well as comfy looking benches, old-fashioned street lights, and water fountains. It looked like Central Park in the _National Geographic _issue she read. It was uplifting, the scenery, Mare felt almost relaxed as she kept a steady pace along with Hannah and Thierry.

They had talked along the way. Hannah told her about how it works here, about how water was gathered from the pure mountain springs found here, and about how electricity was attained by witch-magic, as well as the wards that protected this place. She told Mary-Lynette about the Inner Circle, the head council of the Witches, and how they insisted on all the precautionary systems to ensure their safety.

She told her about eco-friendly gas made out of hydrogen being put to use with all the motorcycles and mopeds and automatic scooters. About how cars were only found at two sections: the village, where most residents stay in regular homes and it looks like, well, a village; then there was the city, the section with stores and shops from the Outside, fully supplied restaurants, and, can you believe it? A high school _and_ college.

And there were still three _other_ main sections in Circle Daybreak, by what Hannah and Thierry said. There were the hunting grounds, which can also be called 'safari', practically paradise for hungry, conscience-stricken vampires and werewolves, and then there was the hospital/training facility Nat was talking about and where they were headed to right now. The other one was free grounds, a place for everybody, like a park.

Then Thierry told her about the center of it all. The tower.

The light Mare had seen when she had entered was the ever-shining glow of the observatory. Now it was off to her left, still glowing like a lighthouse. But, still using the excuse of not having night vision and the shapely trees in her sight, Mary-Lynette could barely see the details from the distance. All she could see was that it was tall. Like, _really_ tall.

So it lived up to its 'observatory' namesake well, Mare could imagine seeing and watching everything from that height.

The three walked on as the thirty minutes passed easily by.

And then she had seen it.

The hospital.

Mary-Lynette's breath was completely taken away.

It was… _wow._

If Mare had to describe it, she'd say that it looked like a mix between a Gothic mansion and a Roman church. Not at all like any hospital Mary-Lynette knew.

And yes, it _really_ looked witchy.

The building boasted elaborate, like Mare said, churchlike, architecture. Dark gray bricks formed the most of it, along with silver stones that formed mosaics of something she couldn't quite see yet. It had high peaks, stone carvings, crystalline windows here and there, and two pillars lining the sides of the middle entrance—an automatic door, of all things. And then at the top of the highest point was a statue. It looked like a woman… holding a snake.

If Mary-Lynette had ever heard someone talking about a building like this, she would have said they were crazy—she would have said that none of the elements would match. Looks like she would have been wrong.

Enormous trees and beautiful flowers similar to the ones at the entrance lined the path to the door. The one Mare, Hannah, and Thierry were on divided and lead right to it.

Mary-Lynette had suddenly wanted to sprint.

But then Hannah and Thierry dropped the bomb. Casually, as if they were commenting on the weather or how Mary-Lynette's shirt complemented her eyes, they told her that she had to wait and rest.

And now Mare was waiting impatiently for them to give her reasons.

Apparently, Hannah was the braver of the two.

She stepped up, tilting her head and gray eyes persuasively, trying to get Mare to see it her way.

"Yes, we're near. But… Look, I promise you'll see Ash first thing in the morning, but please, you need to rest first." There was that word again. Rest. Hannah looked both concerned and wearied.

"But—"

"But, nothing. You're going to rest, Mary-Lynette, in the hospital. It doesn't matter if you're not hurt." Her voice changed like magic, from sweet and well-meaning to commanding and striking. Maybe it was a power thing.

Mare narrowed her eyes. "You two planned this didn't you?"

"Just one night, Mare. We'll get you a temporary room in the west wing, so you'll be able to see the plane land." Thierry looked almost apologetic.

Mary-Lynette actually choked. Great. Now they were going to torture her.

Hannah was checking her wristwatch.

"Ash's plane will land in half an hour. If you want to see it, we'll have to get you up and settled _now_."

"Isn't that like blackmail?"

She smiled and once more she was the sweet and reasonable Hannah Mare had trusted on sight.

"As a matter of fact, it is." Then the smile slowly dissolved. "Just promise to stay still and wait for one night."

Mary-Lynette thought about it. Then she nodded. "Fine. I'll wait."

* * *

An hour. Mary-Lynette will wait one more hour.

And then she'll sneak out.

But until then…

Mare closed her eyes as she savored the peace and quiet.

It was weird when she first entered the hospital. It had looked so mystical on the outside, so medieval, but on the inside… well, it looked like a hospital. Really, she wasn't lying.

Warm golden brown walls covered with paintings were the first things Mare saw. The second was the crescent shaped reception desk with a knee-length butterfly door at the side, and third was the woman behind it.

She was adorable, with puffy wheatened hair and dusky blue eyes. She wore a plaid blouse with a pleated skirt, and she sort of reminded Mary-Lynette of Bunny Marten back at Briar Creek, except older, like early twenties. Moments later, Mare discovered that her name was Vivian and was greeted warmly in an equally adorable Oklahoman accent. Mary-Lynette knew at once that she was going to like her.

Vivian then gave her a map of the hospital, with her naming and describing most of the rooms, their sections, and the shortcuts needed to reach them. She was very nice.

After that, Hannah and Thierry had shown her to her room, which was three floors up. The building had four floors in all from what Vivian said. They went through dozens of hallways and two staircases, no longer the golden brown color at the admittance room, but the sterilized white normally seen in hospitals. Except on the third floor, where the painting scheme was similar to that of the first room, golden brown to beige, warm gold and back.

Finally, Mary-Lynette found the room by the 'X' Vivian drew on the map in neat green ink. Hannah had acted like an older sister before she left, saying that she'll check on her later at midnight to make sure she was sound asleep, and that she'll have some dinner brought up soon.

Mary-Lynette sort of liked it, having someone else looking out for her, but that doesn't mean she wasn't thankful when Thierry pulled Hannah out the door and bade Mare hasty and still apologetic goodbyes.

And Mare had to say, she was impressed at how far the establishment went to promote relaxation.

Small, multiple, ceiling lights lit up the room's sky blue walls as the open window blew in warm Nevada air. The room was tranquil, with a sliding mirror closet, wood paneled floors, and a matching wood desk. A door opened up beside it for the bathroom. It was small, but spacious.

The two-paneled window faced to the west, as Hannah promised, and had a built in vinyl couch underneath it. Plants, which were real and green, were on either side of it. There was even a bookcase next to the closet with rows of books for every picky reader, and a TV nailed to the upper wall. The only things that gave away the hospital feel were the scans and monitors placed above a twin bed with pillows in different shades of green.

It was that comfy-looking bed Mary-Lynette tried to avoid, with her sitting on a rolling chair in front of the desk. Dinner had been cheese pizza, fries, and heavily sweetened lemonade, Mare had chugged it all down, and sleep had never sounded so tempting…

No. An hour. An hour before she can go…

Where was she going?

Mary-Lynette didn't know where Ash was supposed to be placed in; she just knew that it was in the west wing, where _she _was.

The plane had landed twenty minutes ago, and Mary-Lynette could have sworn she saw an ash-blond head down there, as well as nine other heads. And then she saw how they were all rushed into the building, so Mary-Lynette suspected that the nurses wouldn't bother taking them to a room all the way across the building. They'd probably opt for the fastest available.

Which means Mary-Lynette had over 50 rooms to check.

And that was just the first floor.

Mare rested her head on top of the smooth wooden desk.

Oh well… nothing to do but study…

So that's what she did. The map Vivian had given her was lying on top of the desk beside her head, open and waiting. Mary-Lynette almost had it memorized.

The first floor was the basic one, with the majority of patient rooms in the west wing and nursing residences located in the eastern wings. The map showed a half-circle for the admittance room and two hallways branching out, smaller squares and doors indicated the estimated 25 rooms for each wing.

Mare had asked Vivian how many nurses, Mary-Lynette assumed they were all female, worked here. The woman had brushed aside some lemony strands of curly hair and said no more than twenty fully-experienced, fully-able witches permanently lived here. The other 200 were trainees that only had temporary cots about the same size as Mare's blue room on the first floor, and only stayed overnight when on an assignment or duty.

The second floor was more detailed, with the two hallways both ending in spiral staircases and elevators that led up to a floating rectangle representing the second story.

That one had the high-end emergency rooms and technology. Vivian had specifically said that anything modern, you can find on the second floor. Both wings had the same principles, operation rooms, X-rays, janitorial closets, and the occasional room for technology-loving, fixer-upper witches. Fifty rooms, twenty-five each. Like the first floor.

Mary-Lynette was currently in the third floor, which had the visiting quarters neatly decked out. To her, this floor seemed to be more like a hotel than a hospital, a lot cozier than the usual industrialized feel. Also fifty rooms, each a different theme for every individual, with basically the same building schematics as the second floor.

The fourth story was a little sketchy, as Vivian had purposely avoided talking about it, only giving the bare details. That it was used as a medicine lab and training facility for the trainees. And she said something about the east and west wings' dividing into a section for each 'specialty', whatever that was.

Another problem was the security. Cameras. Mary-Lynette had seen cameras in every elevator they entered, and she knew that there was a rotating camera in the middle of each floor, but not the stairs. And people, with Thierry and Hannah, she had only seen an occasional one or two inside a room or walking the halls. So what she had to do for both was simple enough, avoid them. The execution, though… now that was what she needed.

The best idea she had was ducking and keeping it low, she could only hope her luck hadn't run out yet.

So she knew the area of interest, but Mare had timed her escape accurately, too. Hannah had said that she'll check on her later, at midnight. Mary-Lynette sluggishly lifted her head from the table to look at the clock. 7:30 p.m.

Unbelievable, wasn't it? Mary-Lynette had been able to do everything she's done in the record-breaking time of three hours. Again, unbelievable.

Anyway, 7:30, which means thirty minutes to get ready, an hour to sneak out without getting caught, two hours to find Ash and just… just _see _him, and the last hour to get back and feign sleep for Lady Hannah.

She took a deep preparing breath and settled her head back down on the desk's polished surface, letting her hair splay out and cover her like a shield.

Okay… I'm prepared… maybe I can just… close my eyes for a minute…

Mary-Lynette groaned into the table.

No. She _can't_ close her eyes for a minute. Maybe if she just squashed all hope and stayed in Oregon, like any sane person would, she'd be getting a good night's sleep.

Another groan as Mare lifted her head reluctantly and placed a hand on her forehead.

Of course not. Thinking that way was useless. Like she said this morning, anything was better than safe, sugar-coated lies.

Thirty minutes to prepare.

Mary-Lynette rolled the chair towards the bed, towards her backpack. Hannah had given her extra clothes but Mare didn't have time to look through them now. Now, to pick out something clean and breathable, something she can walk and run in as silently as possible.

Couple seconds, and she found what she was looking for. But…

First things first. A hot shower.

* * *

8 o'clock.

Mary-Lynette was ready.

The shower was blessedly warm and refreshing for her, it calmed her nerves just enough for her to think straight. And Mare discovered another difference between here and regular hospitals: in human-ran hospitals, even the 5-star kinds, only gave you three types of shampoo, soap, and conditioners. Here, you get the widest array of incense, oil, gemstones, and plant addends for baths and relaxing purposes. Mary-Lynette chose a tangerine burst of fragrance to liven her up, along with her familiar strawberry shampoo and lemon tea conditioner.

Like she said, refreshing.

Now she was standing, dry and clothed, in a navy-blue sweatshirt complete with dual front pockets and a big enough hood to, if necessary, hide her face. And having it paired with knee-length, frayed, denim jeans, Mare was as comfortable as if she were going out for a moonlit walk, and _not _sneaking out to find her soulmate.

A sense of déjà vu escaped her as she forced a brush down her tangled hair, only this time she smiled into her reflection, blue eyes shining and ready.

_So this was what it feels like to be undercover_, she thought as she pulled her hood on, tucking most of her hair inside. _It's… exciting. _

She couldn't afford to look too sneaky if she was seen, so Mare couldn't bring her backpack along. Oh well, not like she had anything that will help Ash in there. All she could possibly do when—_if_, she found him was be by his side, however cliché sounding that was.

Mary-Lynette moved towards the front door and turned off the lights.

Quietly, as stealthily as she could manage, she snuck out.

* * *

"I'm telling you, he's _alive._"

"But that's _impossible_."

"Yeah? Well tell him that." Jo pointed a finger at Ash's rising chest, then crossed her arms and pinched the bridge of her nose. Some of these nurses were just too skeptical, which was comically ironic, since they work with spells everyday of their lives.

They had landed and entered the hospital as quickly as possible for Ash's sake, everybody wanted to stick around and make sure he was okay, but there were, unbelievably, more pressing matters than a comatose Daybreaker.

Sarah, Mal, and Kierlan were rushed off and whisked away to the third floor for a quick rest, and if Jo knew how the Daybreakers functioned, and she did, the three would be sent to the tower as soon as they were able. Quinn and Rashel were needed immediately for a full report of the mission and were on their way to the 'Meet' in the tower. Phil had been assigned to tell his and everyone else's families about it. It was just Daphne, herself, and Keller. They came in hurried and flushed, Daphne and Keller from the burden of carrying Ash and Jo from leading the two to where they were now, the basement.

The basement was like a second hospital, one where the deadliest of poisons and tastiest of medicines were stored, and quite a majority of ingredients for most healing spells. It had a library in there too, where witches can research the most traditional and earliest ways to cure sicknesses ranging from malaria to the common cold. And there were rooms there too, maybe twenty for patients, for the number of cases that needed utmost secrecy.

Only the Senior Witches and most trusted trainees knew about the place. Jo? Jo found out about it on her own, she just happened to be walking by when she heard a nurse named Petronella talking about it and how to access it.

Luck seemed to be always on Jo's side.

But not this time.

Not now because they weren't in the basement. They were facing a stained glass window in the first floor's west wing, the end of the floor. It was a beautiful piece of artwork, one that belonged in the _Louvre_ perhaps. The window was an array of oranges and magentas, purple and silver, dark blues and violets. The colors of sun-down and night-fall. And the effect changed, depending on the real time outside, like, for example, Jo knew that by midnight, the crescent moon would be exactly aligned with the window and make it shimmer and strengthen in its wonder.

The overall portrait of the floor to ceiling, arch-shaped window was essentially a shrine to one of the major moon goddesses. Perse.

She was one of the underworld moon goddesses of Greece. Her other name, Naeara, means _New Moon._ From what Jo knew, Perse was the consort of Helios and bore him nine children, two of which were Circe, a very famous witch for her enchantments and curses, and Pasiphae, the first witch ever who could tell the future from her dreams. Both of which had some serious magical talent.

For the weeks before she knew about the basement, Jo didn't really get why they added a shrine to her in here. The Goddess of Hygiene, Hygeia, was the obvious choice for a shrine, and the east wing's window was already dedicated to Eos, the flame-haired, white-winged, and rose-fingered world renowned Goddess of Dawn. _That_ made sense. Eos was the sun's consort, and it only fit her to be in the east wing to greet the sunrise.

Jo still didn't get it, the only connection she could make was crude if not a pun, that since Perse was an underworld goddess it made sense that her image would lead underground.

But there was one thing wrong with the place.

The old-bat of a nurse responsible for maintaining and guarding it.

And Jo was prepared to sock said nurse on the nose.

"It's _impossible._" She repeated in that cracking voice of hers, Jo knew her name, as every trainee should. The snow haired, olive toned, stooped, and stubborn old lady in front of her was none other than the Petronella that let slip the secret, or Nurse P as her unofficial nickname, a well known beauty in her days. Even now, when pushing sixty-two, her striking features stayed with her. Angular nose, bronzed skin, dark, depthless eyes. Classic beauty. And she talked like she was still in ancient times too.

She was one of the best 'herbal-specializing' witch out there. Petronella knew every detail of every leaf of every plant, and if the plant didn't have leaves, she knew everything else about it. She was the only Herbs Senior Witch in the hospital, no one in the specialty has surpassed her yet.

Didn't mean Jo had to like her.

Petronella was continuing her rant in that accent of hers, unconsciously leaning on her mahogany cane for support. "Nobody has yet to survive a dragon blast of that magnitude, Massachusetts reported a 6.0 earthquake because of it."

"Sarah survived. Keller survived. _I _survived."

"The girl you came with? With the blue eyes? I don't know her, she doesn't know me. Keller? She's a strong girl," Keller didn't blush at all; she and Daphne were just as impatient as Jo was.

Petronella looked her up and down. She was one of those rare few who were shorter than the 5-foot witch, her curly, snow hair barely reached up to Jo's forehead. "And you? You were just lucky a Wild Power was there."

Jo didn't take it too hard. Petronella was the only Senior Witch she openly disrespected, and there was always the shame and embarrassment she caused her when the other Seniors figured out that Jo knew the secret. So naturally, she could only expect the bitter feeling to be mutual.

Nonetheless, she scowled. "Are you really going to risk a life of a fellow Daybreaker…. to patronize me?" Jo tried to step closer but Keller blocked her with an outstretched hand.

"Jo." She warned. Daphne was looking frustrated as she began to shift Ash's arm on her shoulders.

Keller stared down at Jo long and hard, trying to compel her with those steel eyes of hers. Compelling her to get her priorities straight and finish this little showdown later. Finally, the witch gave up.

"Fine." She murmured, and then she turned to the witch in front of her, who was arrogantly lifting her chin up and glinting her dark eyes. Then, in what Jo honestly thought of as a sign of tremendous willpower, she didn't snap at the haughty witch. Instead, she told the truth.

"Look, I hate you, you hate me, I get it. Just help him stay alive and we'll pick up on this tomorrow." She shrugged. "Like we always do."

"Get on with it, Jo." Daphne pleaded.

Jo complied. "So? Can we use the basement or not?

Petronella smiled.

_**Author's Note: **__**It feels weird ending the chapter like that. No cliffie, just an open question.**_

_**So? Do you think you can ever find it in your heart to forgive my being late (3-4 weeks!!!)? I did my best, I rly did. Every day I'd go home and the first thing I'd do would be to load my laptop to get in as much time as I could writing, but then my dad would tell me about the workload I have and how if I didn't finish it a.s.a.p. it would all add up and I'll be sry 4 not doing it earlier… yeah… :{**_

_**I'm so sorry… again…**_

_**Tell me what you think and let me know that this is still getting views… **_

_**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW. Pls? **_


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: No ownership.

_**One sec, kay? I have to say some stuff first.**_

_**First off, I'd like to say to Mary-Lynette Redfern, nice job on guessing who the corpse was. :} i mean, i wanted to make it obvious and shady at the same time, but congratz XD **_

_**Another thing, I'm thinking of writing a **__**NEW STORY**__**. Don't worry i'm not stopping or giving up on this one, i promised you all i wouldn't ;]. But i just feel like writing some new material. Any requests would be great and rly appreciated. One condition. It has to be a book I've read (duh) so if u don't mind looking at **__**my profile**__** and seeing thru my fave books (it's there in a list) that'd be great. Of course, I'd be more than happy to just write a fanfic for any of LJ SMITH'S books. **_

_**Eager for ur requests ;)**_ **And make sure to read my A/N, it's wer i talk and make announcements 2 u guyz... I copied the paragraph above this just so u kno...**

_**Read on readers, read on. =DDDD**_

* * *

**Chapter 14**

* * *

"That old hag." Jo sneered as they rounded a corner and finally entered the room Petronella ordered them to use. Room 5. Here in the hospital, they group the doors by odds and evens, so, for example, the start of the west wing was Room 1 and directly across from it was Room 3. It was zigzagging, so Rm. 5 was next to 1.

"She could have just saved us the trouble and kill Ash herself. Wouldn't make a difference now." Jo was walking while talking, and the witch glared at her reflection on one of those heart-monitoring doohickeys as she reached the side of the bed. Her hair was messy, which wasn't much of a big deal because when was it not? But her brown eye had darkened a tad, now it was almost as dark brown as her hair, and her purple eye was as hazy a violet as her highlights.

Understandably, most people didn't know her hair was brown because they never came close enough to actually see it, but a lot of people knew how her eyes darkened when she got mad or depressed. It freaked them out, and Jo took pride in that.

Jo's fingers clasped around the wires as Keller and Daphne laid Ash down on the bed.

"I can't _believe_ Petronella didn't let us in. Wasting our time like that…"

"That's not entirely true," Daphne stated. From the reflections on the monitor, Jo saw how the nimble blond stretched and massaged her shoulders. "Nurse P said that she'll have her best student look after him."

Jo snorted.

"That doesn't count. Alixia would have done it anyway."

Alixia Salud, also known as Ally Salud in Jo's case. Jo's best friend and Number One 'do-gooder' in the base. She was seventeen, like Jo, and had hazel eyes and sandy, ginger hair. If Jo had to say what Ally's looks reminded her of, she'd say that she looked like a _dryad_, that's what they called tree spirits in _Greek Mythology, _either that, or a perky little bunny.

Everyone liked her, everyone respected her, even Petronella. That cruel old bat went so far as taking Ally under her wing for an apprenticeship. Ally was an over-achiever, and if Petronella said she was a good herbalist then she was beyond great. But Jo knew her before any of that happened, before they both knew they were witches.

Reflexively, she stroked her charm bracelet.

"Hey Daphne, how do you do this?" Jo asked after a minute of silence. Daphne walked around the bed and examined the monitor.

"Oh. That's an ambulatory device, or a Holter Monitor." Daphne, the normal, innocent-looking, human teenager that she was, had prepared for medical school before she gave her life to the vampire hunters. She was one of the few non-witches who knew more about the tools than they did.

"And what is it?" Jo prompted.

Daphne grinned, she always enjoyed having people ask her about these things. "Well, it's supposed to monitor electrical activity of the central nervous system, and the heart. You see these wires with the suctions at the end? Those are the electrodes you attach to the chest." She fingered them as she considered Jo's clueless expression. "If you want I could set it up—"

"You go do that, Daph. Keller," Jo turned and addressed the shifter. Keller was sitting on a recliner at the other side of the bed, watching her with the gaze of someone who wasn't listening at all. Keller was the designated leader of the most recent mission, but she acknowledged the fact that this was Jo's thing, so she just sat there and waited for orders.

The witch thought about it. Then she did something she knew she was going to regret.

"Uh, you can leave if you want to. I think Galen needs you." That was a lie, of course. Jo had no idea, nor did she really care, if Galen needed Keller. But the dark-haired, gray-eyed girl lost the lost look and smiled wanly.

"I appreciate it Jo, but don't I need to do something?"

Yes. You do. You need to help me persuade Petronella to let Ash in the basement. You need to go call Angerona, my Senior, and tell her that I can't make my duty dates and classes because I'll be too busy helping Alixia with hers. And then you need to get Alixia while Daphne and I hook Ash to the wires.

"Nah. You go rest. Daph and I can handle this for now." She received a helpful nod from the blonde, to which she replied with a half-smile. Jo looked at Keller, daring her to disobey.

"Go on then."

Keller's eyes turned inward and Jo knew she was thinking about it.

"I hear your friend's back." What was her name again? The brown haired one that's in her trio… "Nina? Nia?"

Keller's smile formed fully then, acknowledging the perfect excuse Jo had just given her. She shrugged.

"Alright witch. You win." She got up with the grace of a hunter and made it to the doorway before turning back her head. "Just page me if you need anything."

"I don't page, Keller. I text."

She shut the door behind her. "Whichever."

"Maybe I should've made her stay." Jo mused. "She could have learned something about 20th century technology."

Daphne giggled as the two got to work.

* * *

"You're _dead_. Do you hear me?"

Kestrel was fuming.

"Do you know how much you put us through, you selfish dolt? Do you know how close Jade came to dying because of _you_?"

Kestrel looked Lonan up and down. He was lying down on their floral printed couch in the living room, _alive_. She was standing up over him, headache gone, fury regained, as Rowan sat on the recliner, watching intently, like Jade and Mark were on the ottoman.

Lonan, the idiot, was fine for the most part. It only took a bandaged ankle, a few minutes rest, and a glass of warm chocolate milk to revert him back to his old ways. His color came back, enhancing his handsome features, and the spark in his eyes had returned as well, giving the dark gray irises a magnetic pull. He even had the audacity to smile and act like this was all a game.

And Kestrel hated him.

"I didn't do anything." He replied in that suave way of his. He placed his hands behind his head and Kestrel had to hold herself down from reaching for his open neck.

"Yes. You did."

Lonan rolled his eyes upward and shook his head, smile still in place.

"God, Kestrel, when are you gonna stop blaming me?"

"Never."

"Kestrel, I think he's telling the truth—"

It was Kestrel's turn to roll her eyes.

"Jade, if he told the truth half the time I've known him, he wouldn't even be here."

Lonan's smile didn't faze. "Something… unexpected came up. So I decided to pay a visit."

"You fell from the sky, asshole. The cat had to find you."

"Kestrel." Rowan reprimanded.

"Well it's true."

In Jade's arms, Tiggy meowed.

"Wait." Mark was scratching his head. "I don't get it. Jade said she didn't know Lonan—"

Jade petted Tiggy without looking at him. "And I don't"

"—so how do _you_ know him?"

Rowan's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Yes, Kestrel. What exactly haveyou been hiding these last weeks?"

Kestrel didn't stop glaring at the black-haired boy grinning playfully from the couch.

"You see what you got me into?"

* * *

Stop. Right foot. Stop. Left foot.

The cameras were motion censored, which meant that, as long as she stopped whenever the light showed green, she wouldn't register in on the monitors.

Stop. Right foot. Stop. Left foot.

One more step to get around the corner.

Stop. Right foot.

Mary-Lynette breathed in as she got out of the camera's periphery. She was safe.

"Right." She murmured, straightening her blue sweatshirt and readjusting her hood.

Mare was on the second floor, just having passed the last camera she needed to get down to the first floor, to Ash.

She looked around herself to make sure no one was in sight, trying not to look too conspicuous about it. No one. Everything was quiet, save for the occasional buzz of a computer or printer through the closed doorways. Gray walls hung with cork boards and directories, it was like an office here, a startling contrast from the warm and at-home feel up top.

Mare huddled inside her long-sleeved shirt, there was a breeze on both her sides due to the open staircases. After re-checking no one was within her sight, and that the camera was safe on the other side, she turned to the spiraled, yet business-like, stairs that led down. Turns out the stairways were separated at each floor, with the intervals being only an L-shaped corridor. She had gotten to the corner without, hopefully, triggering the camera. So now, all Mare had to do was turn to her left and follow the steps down.

Mary-Lynette readjusted her hood and brushed at her hair as she walked forward and followed the stairs, one by one. The tugging inside her chest leading her every step.

* * *

Rowan had never suspected this of her sister.

The secrets and manipulation and misusage of Power, well, yes, she expected, it was Kestrel after all. She wouldn't be the sister Rowan loved and cared for if she wasn't the mischievous, rule-breaking vampire she knew.

No, what she hadn't expected was _this_…

The eighteen year old boy lying down on their couch looked up at her said sister, no longer smiling but frowning."_I _didn't do anything. This is all _your _fault."

Kestrel didn't hesitate, never faltering in her glare. "How so?" she asked in that dangerously low tone of hers.

"_You _were the one who didn't want any official Daybreaker help. _You _were the one who was too busy, 'trying to maintain your family'." Lonan said the phrase like he was quoting her, Rowan was surprised to see how easily the boy got over his injuries just to chastise Kestrel in the same low tone she had used.

"_You _were the one who couldn't get over her own mammoth-sized ego and _you _were the one who brought Mary-Lynette to Vegas."

Kestrel, for the first time since entering the house, flushed. "I don't know what you're talking about—"

"Cut the crap, Kestrel. You can't keep erasing your sisters' memories." Lonan glanced at Mark on the ottoman. "The human maybe, but not your sisters."

Jade hissed in a breath, ruining her facade of serenity. "You erased my _memory?"_

"That was _one_ time, and for _Mare's_ sake." Kestrel protested. "I didn't even touch Rowan's."

"It doesn't matter." Rowan's voice cut through before anyone else can join the argument. She was the eldest here, she'll take care of this, somehow. "What matters is that Kestrel is going to explain how this happened."

"I just told you—"

"No. Not the mind games or Mary-Lynette, you already got through that." Her impatience was heard even through her own ears. "I'm talking about you and Lonan."

Kestrel flinched as if she was hit.

Lonan looked ready to throw up, but didn't say anything because of his being a guest and all. Rowan was impressed by him, really, and she could tell her youngest sister was too. Anyone who managed to tick off Kestrel was A-okay in Jade's book.

"What?"

"You know exactly 'what' Kestrel." She looked Kestrel in the eye, seeing how the fireplace made her topaz colored hair shine much more fiercely. But her eyes weren't fierce at all, they were crumbling.

Mentally, breaking her own rule, Rowan sent Kestrel a picture of how she looked like.

* * *

Kestrel had to stop her eyes from widening when she felt Rowan in her head. The amber spark was almost too warm and kind to miss.

And then Rowan threw her own image at her.

A girl, a girl with honeyed hair and yellow eyes. It looked like her, but it didn't _look_ like her. She was still sleek and ethereally beautiful, like all vampires should be, but she saw an inner stiffness in herself, like tension being held tightly back. And the eyes…

See? She asked herself. That's what happens when everything comes crashing down, when everything you've done is thrown right back at you.

And then it was gone. Just like that.

Rowan had pulled out of her head as easily as she had entered, and the conversation resumed.

"Well?" she asked.

"I—"

"It's not her fault." Lonan interrupted. "Thierry sent me here."

Jade looked like she was watching a soap opera, her green eyes glittering with childish eagerness. "You said _that_ already, what Rowan meant was—"

"We know what she meant, idiot. We heard her." Kestrel sneered.

"Listen, Lonan was here for two? Three weeks?" She looked to Lonan and he nodded. "Three weeks before Mary-Lynette decided to go find Ash. He said that Thierry asked him to watch over us by Ash's request—"

"And you didn't tell us, because?" Mark prompted; clearly annoyed his sister went to Vegas without him.

"I didn't tell you because it'd have been stupid."

Then, out of nowhere, "Kestrel. You've told them about the Apocalypse right?" Lonan took on a semi-serious tone, he also sounded playful, like he knew he was getting her into trouble.

Silence.

"The… Apocalypse?" Mark stuttered.

Jade still looked like she was watching a TV program as she squeezed Tiggy, Rowan looked doubtful. "It's… real?"

Lonan looked at Kestrel innocently, Kestrel glared back.

"Yes."

Rowan's intake of breath, Jade's excited glow, Mark still looking confused. Lonan smirking up at her.

Kestrel _really _hated him.

"It's no big deal." She started at the same time Rowan asked, "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Like I said, mammoth-sized ego." Kestrel grabbed a pillow and hit Lonan with it.

"Kestrel…"

The boy on the couch readjusted his blanket. "You know you were supposed to tell them, you said you were going to."

"Apocalypse? That's the end of the world isn't it..?" No one really paid attention to Mark, they were too busy waiting on Kestrel.

"Wait. One at a time." If anyone else found out about all of this in one night, they would have freaked. Not Rowan. "I need to know how this started."

Kestrel knew where she was getting at. And it wasn't about the end of the world.

Biting her lip, Kestrel dispassionately told her sisters what had happened.

"Lonan… I met him the day I found Mare passed out in a couple bushes…"

* * *

She was there, lying on her backpack and some clusters of daisies, when Kestrel saw her.

Her first thought was: Mary-Lynette fell? Next was her debating whether to laugh or not, and the last, impending thought: What was she _doing_?

Kestrel asked her just that. No response. So she moved closer, trying to threaten the answers out of the sleeping girl, again, no response. Eventually, Kestrel sat beside Mare on the damp soil, getting her jeans muddy and cakey.

She sat there for a while, trying to get some leaves and dirt off of Mary-Lynette and simultaneously checking for damage, just in case she _did_ fall.

And that was when she heard the tell-tale caw of a raven above her head.

Kestrel looked up.

What she saw wasn't the raven, but a rope. That answered one of her questions, at least. She _tsk_ed at Mary-Lynette.

"You really have to get coordinated, Mare. Your windows not that high up."

Now that Kestrel knew what had happened, she could go tell Rowan about it. Rowan was the one who should have been here. Kestrel had no idea what to do in this situation.

She was carrying Mare on her shoulder, caveman-style, and balancing her brown backpack on her other shoulder, when the raven she had heard swooped down like a shadow.

"What—?"

It was _right_ in-front of her. Wings flapping, beak cutting, black dots of eyes snapping.

_Flap, flap, flap_, went its wings as it disappeared, the beak and perching legs along with it, and then its whole body after that. For a full second, Kestrel was staring into nothing.

And then something shimmered and there was a boy, leaning against the tree. Looking at her like a father does to a guilty daughter. And then he smiled.

"Hello."

* * *

"Then he told me about where Ash was and how Mary-Lynette wanted to find him." Rowan was looking at her oddly, seeing through her, Jade was hushing Tiggy's growls, and Mark was glaring at Lonan. Lonan was looking intently at the clock.

"Lonan told me to influence her, take away her memory and make her forget about trying to find Ash."

"But she told me it wouldn't work." Lonan scooted over to make room for Kestrel, who was at this point, exhausted and needed to sit down. He folded the blanket as he spoke. "She said something about not having enough Power, or that she couldn't remove memories that set in a person."

"She was right." Rowan mumbled, she gave Kestrel an approving look. Kestrel shrugged and sagged back into the couch.

Lonan scratched his nose. "I wanted Mary-Lynette to stay put here but—"

"But I wanted her to find Ash."

Jade's head popped up. "Why?"

Oh, yes. That's right. They thought I didn't care.

And it was true. Out of the three of them, it was pretty obvious that she was the least likely to risk her neck for that pompous, self-centered, degenerate.

Kestrel could always lie to them. Tell them that she told Mare to go on a dangerous journey just to test her strength or something. Or she can say that she wanted to see if Ash truly did reform himself, confirm all the rumors, and say that she was willing to use Mary-Lynette for her own selfish reasons.

That could work. They'll believe it, even Rowan. And especially Lonan, he'd support her by saying how cold-hearted she was. No one would be the wiser.

"Ash is the most egotistic, self-absorbed brother anyone wouldn't ask for." Kestrel paused for a moment, deliberating. She thought about Ash, about how they were always snapping at each other when they were little, always fighting. If anyone had ever asked Kestrel if she loved him, she'd snort and walk away from the obvious question.

Then she made her choice.

"But he's still my brother. _Our_ brother." She refused to look self-conscious, Kestrel was referring to her and her sisters but she met everybody's eye. Even Lonan's.

"I wanted to know how he was. And"--here was another good excuse--"I wanted to see if Mare could handle herself."

"So why didn't you _tell _us?" Jade pouted. "We could have helped you know." Mark nodded vigorously.

"That's partially my fault." Lonan didn't look all too ashamed, just annoyed at having to admit his fault. "I told her to keep quiet about all of this." He looked at her then, willing her to remember. And she did.

* * *

Kestrel remembered how he had reached for her hand in an attempt to play gentleman as he introduced himself.

And then… _sparks. _

She remembered how both of them froze, and then simultaneously reeled back, him pinning his own back to the tree with a _thud_ and her almost dropping Mary-Lynette.

They spoke then, Lonan seriously, Kestrel angrily, both in a mutual need to forget about what had just happened. Neither of them came three feet within the other.

He told her about how he had to watch over their family in case any supernatural funny business reached here. And how it was surely temporary. Kestrel had hoped he was telling the truth.

And in the end, they both agreed to zip their lips on what had happened. With Kestrel only telling the absolute necessities.

The whole conversation took no less than fifteen minutes, and after that he shifted and flew off. Leaving her to process this latest information and take the passed out girl on her shoulder to her house.

Mary-Lynette didn't even stir one bit.

* * *

"But I told her to tell you two." Lonan glanced at Mark, remembering what Circle Daybreak was for. "And him too, I guess."

He turned back to her with a smirk. "So why didn't you, Kestrel? Too afraid to admit that I was right?"

"Shut up." she muttered.

Rowan sighed. "Kestrel. Why?"

"I was going to tell you when Mare came back."

"Kestrel." Rowan warned, still sounding impossibly gentle as she chastised her.

Kestrel huffed out a breath. "I didn't tell you because you would have made a big deal about it."

"The end of the world _is _a big deal, Kestrel." Jade said too matter-of-factly for anyone to take seriously. "That's something someone would normally tell someone else."

Mark mouthed the words: "end of the world"

Lonan abruptly got up from the couch.

"Not that it hasn't been fun, getting you into trouble and all." He straightened his shirt as Kestrel clenched her jaw. "But I think I've overstayed my visit. Thank-you for inviting me." He addressed Rowan and headed for the door. But Kestrel was faster.

She used her speed, to the inhaled breath of Rowan, and beat him to it, one arm blocking the doorway.

"What do you think happened?" she demanded. "We had you over for dinner to _hang out_? Jade finds you half-dead in the woods, _after_ she and I were attacked. We give you enough of our energy to live and now you expect to just waltz out of here?"

He didn't look startled at all, and met her gaze, equally determined. "That was the plan."

Kestrel laughed then abruptly stopped. "No. The _plan_ is you sitting back down on that couch, and explaining yourself. Like how you managed to drop here all the way from Nevada." Then she removed her arm from the doorway. "Unless you naturally suck at flying."

The ebony haired boy looked from her to the door, knew that she wouldn't stop him if he tried to open it. His fingers clenched and unclenched. Kestrel waited it out as the rest watched on with anticipation.

Lonan sighed, and his fist fully unclenched. "I hate you, you know."

Kestrel smiled, gestured to the couch. "Go on."

He glared but obeyed.

"Okay. I'll stay. But only for a few." He looked at the clock again. "I have to get back to base as soon as possible."

"Thank you." Rowan smiled. He smiled back. Then he looked at each of them in turn.

"So. What did you four want to know about?"

* * *

"Is he all set up?" Jo asked the blonde in front of her.

"Well. The Holter looks fine. You connected the electrodes to his belt right?"

Jo nodded.

"Okay." Daphne breathed. She had just finished hooking up an infusion pump to Ash's left arm. "This should do for now."

"What's in it?" Jo asked moving closer. "I mean, I'm a witch, but I don't really plan on being a doctor." She looked at Daphne. "No offense."

"None taken. I actually didn't put anything in it. Just used the morphine bag for some numbing effect. I had no idea what the stuff were in the other bags." Her face scrunched up. "You guys are really crazy you know. I had no idea you could use cranberry tonics for urinary infections." She laughed playfully. "No offense."

Jo almost smiled. "None taken."

"So." She said after a short silence. "I hooked the suction things correctly, right?"

There were eight electrodes, and Jo had put them in the obvious places. Jo had ripped Ash's shirt open and taken off his jacket to make the suction cups stick easier.

Daphne had said to cover the respiratory and central nervous system. One at the heart, one at the diaphragm, two on the collarbone, two on the ribs above his lungs, and the other two lining the spinal cord.

Daphne looked over and nodded. "That's about right. But hey," she touched Ash's arm. "You should probably put his jacket back on. Keep him warm."

"Sure thing." Jo mumbled. She picked up the light gray jacket on the side of the bed and, with Daphne's help, got it around Ash.

"I think that's good, it'll keep him warm at least." Daphne glanced at the clock. "Hey Jo, it's getting pretty late."

"Do you need to go?" Jo asked. Daphne was okay in her book, so she could stay over. But the blond may have other, better plans than helping a disgruntled witch with a patient.

"I have curfew." Daphne lived with her parents in the 'town' area of Circle Daybreak. There, some humans try to keep life as normal as possible, despite knowing all about the Night World. She smiled. "My mom's going to flip when I tell her what happened."

Jo nodded nonchalantly. "Okay then. See you."

Daphne left with no more than a "See you later."

That left Jo alone.

"Well." She said to herself as she brushed at her bangs. "Might as well call Ally."

That was what she was doing, actually, getting her purple VU from her jacket, when she heard a muted _thump _that indicated a dropping object. Jo craned her neck to where Ash was, curious to see if he had moved.

No such luck. It was just his wallet.

She walked to where the black leather money-holder lay. It was bulky, with Ash having all the connections and credit cards he boasted about. Jo was about to put it back in his jacket pocket, deciding against stealing his cash, when a card tipped out.

Jo took a good look at it.

Huh…. interesting…

It was a girl. A pretty one, Jo surmised, with hair so brown it was almost black, like hers, but unlike hers, it was neat. She even wore a headband on it. She had bright blue eyes and an index finger turned upwards. It didn't look like she knew she was being photographed.

Jo snickered to herself. She knew Ash had a soulmate, but she never expected him to be a stalker.

Jo returned the picture and placed the wallet in his pocket.

And then she called her best friend.

* * *

Mary-Lynette had descended the lengthy stairs to find a beautiful window that looked like it belonged to a highly reputed church. So many entrancing colors, she had to tear herself away from it to keep on her search.

Mare had long ago seen how the door numbers were placed, but she didn't have too. She was now familiar with the pulling at her feet, telling her to skip all these doors, and she intended to follow it. Sure that it wouldn't let her get caught.

So it was a sick surprise when she bumped into someone as she turned a corner.

* * *

Now who's this? Jo asked herself, rubbing the forming bruise on her shoulder.

"Sorry," the girl mumbled before hurriedly turning away. Too hurriedly. Her hood fell off in her eagerness to get away.

The witch felt her eyes widen before something in her brain clicked.

Jo's arm snapped up to block the girl's way. She knew how to handle this.

"I don't think I've had the pleasure, uh..?"

The girl flinched. "Mary."

What a lie. But Jo had to give her props. A name close, but not obvious enough to be, her real name. In any case, her arm didn't budge.

"Is that it? You don't have a last name?"

Two bright, defiant spheres of blue sparked down at her through messy strands of hair so brown it was black. "No. What's it to you?"

Jo chuckled and leaned closer. Looks like Ash found himself a keeper.

"Nothing, just wanted to make a new friend." Mary-Lynette blinked. Jo had casually brushed aside her side bangs. "But… it seems you have better things to do than get acquainted with a random stranger, huh?"

"Sort of." Mare answered, willing her eyes to return to their normal size after falling prey to that vivid shade of violet.

In a tone that implied no drama or importance whatsoever, Jo said, "Not even if that random stranger was the witch assigned to your soulmate?"

Boom. She had dropped the bomb.

Mary-Lynette turned a bright shade of red as the witch smirked.

"I heard rumors you were here, from some werewolves. And I also knew how uh…" she searched for the word Ash had used often. "… _spunky_ you are from how much Ash talks about you, but I didn't think you'd actually risk your pretty little neck just to see the air-headed vampire passed out on a coma."

"To each her own." Mare quietly quoted.

Jo smiled. "You're right. You are _so _right. Thank you, really, it's been great talking to you Mary-Lynette." She hooked the arm she had been using to barricade her escape onto Mare's arm, as if they were friends forever. "Now, let's go back to wherever your room is, shall we?"

Mary-Lynette snatched her arm back, gently but forcefully, enough to yank Jo backwards. "I don't think so."

She looked pissed. "I'm sorry, whoever you are, but I'm not going back."

"It's Jo. And why not?" Jo challenged, stepping forward.

Mare stepped back in startled fear. Her answer was simple but strong in clarity. "Because I need to see him."

Jo stepped forward again, ready to corner the stubborn human into the wall. "And if you don't you'll die?"

Her question was rhetoric, meant to snap her back into reality. But Mary-Lynette didn't snap at all, she didn't even step back. She stood her ground in front of Jo, jaw set, head held high.

"I think I might."

Jo stared a little harder for three seconds more. And then she stepped back and motioned with her neck to the closed door next to the snappy human.

Room 5.

Mary-Lynette had somehow passed Jo's test. But the ever-curious witch wanted to know how the human was going to hold up when she sees Ash as damaged as he is.

"Come on then."

* * *

Mary-Lynette gulped, fingers hesitating on the doorknob. The girl named Jo was leaning on the wall to Mare's right, watching in earnest.

"You sure about this?" she asked, trying to hide the entertained note in her voice. "If you want, I could lead you back to you room and tuck you in. I'll even give you a glass of milk to help you sleep better."

"What's your deal?" Mary-Lynette asked. "I didn't do anything to you."

Jo shrugged, barely considering. "You didn't have to. I'm naturally this way."

"Must suck for you."

"You get used to it." The witch glanced at the door. "But really, are you going to open it or not? If you get caught here, I won't vouch for you."

Mare took in a breath and tried to feel the cord in her. It was tugging, taut and straight. Jo wasn't lying. Ash was really in there.

She opened the door.

It was surreal. The moment Mary-Lynette walked through the door she was hit by all this nostalgia. Memories and reality collided.

A room as big as hers was, with multiple cabinets, seats, and a side door.

_Eyes on the carpet. Seeing his Nike shoes and ripped-kneed jeans._

Monitors that beeped slow and steady. A ceiling light that brightened the white walls to an impeccably sterile feel.

_A black flower on his shirt. His hand reaching for hers in an introductory shake. _

An ash-blond head sticking out from the bed.

_Contact. _

"Psst. Ally," Mary-Lynette heard Jo stage-whisper behind her. She motioned with her index finger. "I have to talk to you outside."

"Why?" There was another girl here; facing one of those poles with a liquid bag on it. Amazing Mare hadn't seen her in the first-place. "I still have to get his blood sampled for toxins."

"I think it could wait."

"Not really, Jo. And weren't you supposed to get the dandelions I asked for from Nurse Petronella—?" she finally turned around.

"Oh." She said, rubbing her striking hazel eyes and patting down her light chestnut hair. "Hello, I'm Alixia Salud." Smile. "Who are you?"

"Really Ally?" Jo prompted, tapping her foot and placing her hands on her hips.

Alixia replied smiling, a smile that showed mostly in her cute khaki eyes. "It's called manners Jo."

"Hi." Mare said, battling her impatience. "Mary-Lynette Carter."

Alixia blinked. "I'm sorry?"

Jo tilted her head towards the door in an emphatic manner. "You get it now?"

"Get what?"

"That we have to _go_."

It took Alixia three more innocent seconds before she got it. "Oh."

"Yeah." Jo grabbed her friends tanned hand and dragged her out the door after her and Alixia mumbled their 'good luck's and 'sorry's. Then the door shut behind them. Mary-Lynette was alone.

With Ash.

That was when Mary-Lynette did the bravest thing she had ever done in her life. Harder and scarier than getting attacked by werewolves, more courageous than flying out of her beloved home-state.

She began to walk.

Two. Three steps before she could see him clearly. His chest was shirtless, covered with wires with suction cups. It was rising ever-so-slightly, every time it lowered, Mary-Lynette was afraid it would stay that way, only to be grateful when air filled his lungs with just enough to get by.

Another step. His tone was paler than she remembered, chalky even. Locks of the hair she could separate from any crowd fell around his closed eyes. Mary-Lynette wondered what color they were right now. Blue, gold… or maybe violet…

She closed her own eyes and fought for some self-composure before taking another step.

That step brought her right at the side of his iron rod bed. If she held up a hand, she'd be able to touch his face…

Instead, Mary-Lynette slowly placed a hand on his chest, about to see if she could feel his heartbeat.

And then she felt it.

_Sparks._

It was a tingling, one that started from her fingertips, all the way up her spine, and down to her toes.

Mare's fingers trembled slightly upon touching Ash's skin. So long… she didn't know what to do. She had never asked for this. Not for romance, not _once_ for romance. Mary-Lynette had abandoned everything she knew, her safe-zone, for a wild gamble on self-understanding. And now that she was here, now that Ash was right in front of her… _she didn't know what to do_.

"I'm sorry." That was all that came to her mind. "I'm so sorry."

Her hand, still shaking, made its way to his as she pulled up a cantilever chair to his side. She pressed her other hand to her forehead.

"Sorry… so sorry…" she repeated it like a mantra, because now she could see. It was her fault. If she hadn't sent him away, if she hadn't been so darn _stubborn…_

Her chest was tightening to a point that she couldn't breathe, her breath coming in stutters. The silver cord she had obeyed was gone, now reduced to a string stretched to almost nothing, it wasn't pulling her anymore.

But what hurt the most was the knowledge that she hadn't changed after all. Not one bit.

She had lost her own gamble.

Because, despite all the signs her body, heart, and soul were giving her, Mare still wasn't letting them win. Because, after everything was over, it all comes down to one question for her.

Does she really love Ash?

And the answer was the same as it was a year ago:

Not enough.

Not enough to say goodbye to her family forever, not enough to drop everything she had to go with him. Not enough to give up her humanity.

That was why she was saying sorry over and over. Trying to make up for all the pain she caused on both ends. Wishing that she could finally make things right, even when she knew how impossible that was.

She fell asleep afterwards, head resting on her arm, tears left unshed.

And all the while, her hand lay entwined with his.

* * *

_**Author's Note: Heh heh… I'm sure you guys don't know (or care really) but I used my real name in this chapter… Let's see who can guess what it was…. **_

**OMG.... i just got word that my "****Ash and Mary-Lynette****" tribute is a featured video on youtube... W-O-W... check my vids out on ****purplepanini14****, I'd be rl honored. :}**

_**So wat'd u tink?????? **__**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**__**… pls????**_

_**And here's something for you ppl, I wanna kno ur ideas for the story, I think im showing symptoms of WRITERS BLOCK so Im gonna need some serious feedback.**_

_**Another thing, I'm thinking of writing a **__**NEW STORY**__**. Don't worry i'm not stopping or giving up on this one, i promised you all i wouldn't ;]. But i just feel like writing some new material. Any requests would be great and rly appreciated. One condition. It has to be a book I've read (duh) so if u don't mind looking at **__**my profile**__** and seeing thru my fave books (it's there in a list) that'd be great. Of course, I'd be more than happy to just write a fanfic for any of LJ SMITH'S books. **_

_**Kay, last thing, i'm going to challenge myself. I'm going to try for **__**250**__** Reviews... maybe **__**300**__**... now i kno that'll be hard since i probably lost a lot of u guyz (which i deserved) becaise of my late updates, but i'm still pushing it. *crosses fingers* Let's just see if it's worth it...**_

_**Thank you and cya soon!!! **_

_**XOXO- panini999**_


	16. Chapter 15

_**Disclaimer**__**: I'm hungry for tacos… and caramel… lots of caramel…**_

_**No ownership. **_

**Kay, first let me congratulate ****DCI Keller ****for being the 200****TH**** REVIEWER!!!! *confetti, balloons, and multi-colored feathers drop down from the sky… and some white chocolate chips because that's what I'm eating right now on my choco frozen yogurt… and they're delic. :D* **

**So thx a lot to you, and 2 everyone else who reviewed too. :} let's see if we can make it up to 300!!!! (I can dream can't i?)**

**Chapter 16**

"She's been in there awfully long, Jo." Ally was pacing the hallway outside Ash's room, casting worried glances towards the closed door. "Don't you think we should check on them?"

Jo, unlike the herb-specializing witch in front of her, wasn't worried at all. She was anxious. But, sticking true to form, she wouldn't show it.

"It's only been twenty minutes, Ally. We just got back from Pet's office."

"You shouldn't call her that, you know, she already hates you."

"And don't I know it." Jo rubbed the back of her neck. "Why are you so worried, anyway? You said you already checked his blood for toxins."

"It was positive."

"But Daphne already hooked him up with some morphine, right?"

"That only delays it, Jo. It doesn't stop it." She squinted at the door. "Come on…"

"Ally, chill." Jo playfully ordered. "You know how you get when you're stressed."

"But I don't have time for this." She complained. "The meeting's tomor—" Ally gasped and bit her own lip. Jo frowned.

"A meeting? What meeting?"

Ally blinked. "Hmm?"

"Don't play innocent with me, Ally. _Now_, _what meeting_?"

She groaned. "Please don't make me tell you. They'll kill me if I do."

She could tell it was an exaggeration, so Jo pressed some more. "They who?"

"It's not even that important, it's just a regular inspection. You know how the Inner Circle gets paranoid—"

"_Inner Circle_? But they just checked the wards last —mmm!"

"Shhh!" Ally reflexively turned her head left and right while covering Jo's mouth with her hand.

Jo licked it. Ally squealed.

"Jo!"

"_You_ should be the one apologizing! You didn't wear gloves did you?" Jo ran her fingers down her tongue, "Oh, god that tasted like anesthesia…"

Ally looked sorry. She was so nice it was impossible for Jo to take the blame onto herself.

"I can fix that."

"With what? The dandelions?"

"No. These are for Ash, remember?" she smirked. "But, I've got root beer in the cupboard."

Ooh. That was a cheap-shot. Ally knew how much Jo loved root beer.

The leaning witch put her hands in her jacket's pockets. Jo hadn't had time to change, so she was wearing what she had on during the mission, black leggings, short leather jacket, and a deep purple tee. She narrowed her eyes at the girl in front of her. Ally looked as innocent as a rabbit; her complexion was tanned from hours spent gardening some of her beloved herbs, and her hair was various shades of light brown, depending the way the light hit them. Her eyes looked at her with pleading earnest.

Too bad Jo knew better.

"Nice try, but you're not bribing yourself out of this one." Jo fingered the locks of her hair as Ally's face fell.

"Now, what was that about a meeting?"

* * *

"I'm not… invited."

"I'm sorry Jo." Ally said. Her hand twitched at her side, like she was thinking about placing it on Jo's shoulder.

"But—why? I'm one of the best stonecharmers here!" That was what they called Jo's profession, and she wasn't even exaggerating about being the best. Nurse Angerona, a Senior stonecharmer, was drafting her for apprenticeship, which _had_ to count for something.

"Shh!" Ally whispered again, but this time didn't cover Jo's mouth. Smart move. "Someone's going to hear you! Calm down, will you Jo?"

If it were anyone else telling her that, Jo would have said: "I'll calm down whenever the freak I want!" and would've made it a point to sound extra loud.

But it was Alixia Salud.

She bit the inside of her cheek as she took in two deep breaths.

"Okay. Fine, I'm calm."

"You sure?" Ally asked her suspiciously.

"Yes, I'm sure. So why the hell wasn't I invited?"

"That doesn't sound very calm…"

"Just answer the question Ally." Jo pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I don't know."

"What's it about?"

"I don't know."

"Why is it happening?"

"I _don't_ know, Jo!" She softly screamed, still paranoid of being overheard. "Don't you think I would have told you by now if I did?"

"When is it happening?"

Ally tilted her head. "Um, tomorrow afternoon. Sunset."

"Where is it happening?"

A pair of hazel eyes blinked at her twice. "Now why would you need to know that?"

Jo shrugged. "No reason."

"Of course there's a reason Jo. You always have reasons. Like that one time, when you broke my Barbie doll," She smiled and so did Jo. "Remember? We were in first grade and you ripped her head off. I was mad at you for all of five minutes, but then you reached into your backpack and gave me a brand new one. It was still in the box."

The memory was playing in both their minds, making both smile even wider. But then Ally got to her point.

"What are you planning, Jo?"

"Nothing."

"You're darn right, _nothing_. Because I'm not talking about this anymore. Conversation, over."

"Whatever."

"Good. Now come on, it's almost been an hour already, let's go check on them."

This time, Jo didn't protest. She was too busy planning.

* * *

"This was the first time I've been assigned to a defensive assignment," Lonan said, "I'm usually in the 'search and sabotage' gig, just got back from finding an enemy werewolf club last month,"

"Was it fun?" Jade asked, eyes sparkling with genuine interest. Rowan looked impressed, Mark did too, albeit grudgingly. Kestrel didn't look impressed at all.

Well good, he thought. It's not like I wantedto impress you anyway.

"Not much, all I had to do was get in, get some inside info, then get out."

"Ooh," Jade sighed. "That _does_ sound fun."

Lonan shook his head, smirking. "Like I was saying, I think I was only chosen for this one because I was free. Plus, Ash asked for someone who could watch over the whole city, and," he lifted his hands and placed them behind his head again and leaned back, careful not to touch the golden locks of the girl seated next to him. "I've got wings.

"So I stayed in a hotel at a nearby town while I was watching out over here. Everything was peachy keen for a while, with only local, human troubles being the most of your problems. I've got to say, you three picked a pretty good place to hide from Outsiders."

"We aren't hiding from anyone." Kestrel said indignantly. Lonan noted how strained her jaw looked when she was clenching it.

That was when they heard it.

A wolf howl.

Everybody froze at the same second, all as still as statues.

"Not anymore you're not." Lonan muttered.

He and Kestrel both got up, him slowly, testing his ankle. Rowan and Jade moved only their eyes; Lonan could practically hear Mark's stifled, harsh breath.

Kestrel moved towards a front window, Lonan positioned himself in front of the door.

"I don't see anything." Kestrel whispered.

Lonan fingered the silver pocket knife he almost always kept on him. "And that's why we're in trouble."

Werewolves. He knew they were werewolves because… well, he didn't actually. It was just a gut feeling he's learned to listen to after all these years. And these weren't any lone werewolves,

He was just about to bust open the door when he heard a hitched breath behind him.

"Wait—wait." Sweat was visible on Mark's brow as he placed a hand on his dark hair. "You can't just go around and kill werewolves; it's… just not what you do in an Oregon neighborhood—with people around."

Lonan asked, "What are you _talking_ about?" at the same time Rowan said, "He's right." Jade busied herself by stopping the cat from squirming. Kestrel rolled her eyes.

"Well, what do you expect us to do," she asked no one in particular as she stared out the window, "go out the back door?"

They stopped.

Everybody looked at everybody else.

Kestrel scoffed in disbelief. Lonan slumped his shoulders.

"You're kidding me right?"

* * *

Mary-Lynette was sleeping.

"Maybe we should wake her." Ally suggested.

Jo looked at the girl. More importantly, she looked at her hand, wrapped around Ash's, and at the way her closed eyelids sparkled under the fluorescent lights. She'd been holding back tears.

"Maybe we shouldn't."

"Why not?"

Jo shrugged while Ally checked the Holter monitor and electrodes. "Just don't feel like carrying her all the way to her room."

"And I don't think she'll mess up your tests." She continued. "You're just going to inject him with the dandelions right?"

Ally put on some medical gloves and smiled. "Yes, with the dandelions." She turned to Jo, "Have you been doing your homework?"

"Nope. Just knew from experience." Jo admitted. "Dandelions have diuretic properties, so they can help with edema, blood pressure, and heart weakness, correct?"

"Yup." Ally took out the dandelions from her pockets and donned her lab coat. But it wasn't really dandelions, just their extracts liquidized in capsule forms. Ally placed the containers on top of a syringe and needle. She flicked it.

"So now all you have to do is give him an intramuscular shot and he'll have a better chance of surviving."

"Yup." Ally didn't bother using any cotton balls or tapes for pain inhibiting, she just drove the needle into the arm Mare wasn't leaning on. Jo saw how the musky, yellowish liquid disappeared from the capsule and into Ash's flesh. She saw how the monitor gave a sharp pause, causing Ally, and her, to briefly freeze.

Something's wrong? Was the injection a mistake? Dandelions have rarely given any side effects, which was why Ally chose it, but the dangers weren't unheard of. Jo knew they could give dermatitis, but that wasn't much of a concern. They may have been too toxic for Ash, with their high range of potassium, magnesium and others. Maybe Jo would have to carry Mare back to her room after all.

But Ash didn't die right then. The monitor came back good and strong, actually even stronger than before.

The injection was a success.

Ally let out a breath. "Thank Goddess."

"Which one?" Jo mused. "He's been avoiding death the whole day, so maybe Persephone or Perse is fond of him or something. He's been healing at a fast pace so far, so Hygeia could be responsible—"

"What about the Fates, then?"

The Fates were the three goddesses of, well, fate. They were said to have control of a mortal's destiny.

"Maybe Ash has a destiny of his own." Ally said. "Maybe that's why he keeps being spared."

Jo considered it. "Great theory."

Abruptly, she got off the comfy seat and walked towards the door to the extra room. It was a nurse's room, with computers and chairs and materials for their, and the patient's, welfare. There was a plexi-glassed, one-sided window next to the door, separating the rooms from each other, and for easy viewing without alerting the patients. All that, and a mini-fridge.

Jo opened the white box, reached in, and grabbed two ice-cold Root Beers.

She went out and tossed Ally one as they both collapsed on a sofa, quietly, so as not to wake up the two love-birds on the bed.

They clicked open their cans of bubbly goodness and raised them both.

"To the Fates."

* * *

Sarah was uneasy.

*****And it wasn't because she was being stared down at by a whole league of strangers, or the fact that they were all telling her to speak up about her whole life.

No. It was because of all that _and _because she was getting one of her migraines again.

Sarah knew because she had that feeling again, the feel of her head being detached from her body. And the smell… Sarah never could identify that smell. It filled her nostrils with its sickly-sweet aroma. Like too much syrup on pancakes.

"Sarah Strange," Called a woman. She looked to be the head of the meeting as an aura of power radiated from her, despite her kind motherly appearance. "Is something the matter?"

The girl with coffee-creamed skin next to her looked down at Sarah knowingly. "Mother, Sarah is in need of some hot water."

"What makes you say that, Aradia?" A woman with very thin lips asked.

"She gets migraines." Mal was already placing an open hand on Sarah's clammy forehead. He was leaning towards her, gray eyes clouded with worry. She was thankful for him really, being a witch himself, Mal could guide her and Kierlan through this easy. Of course, Kierlan wasn't as submissive as she was.

Sarah could practically feel Kierlan's white-hot anger burn up on her other side as he got up.

"I'll get her hot water." He spoke acidly, through clenched teeth too. Sarah ached for him, she really did, but she couldn't bring herself to lean away from Mal's blessedly cool fingers. She heard the door shut harder than it was supposed to, the silver cord she normally saw on a daily basis stretched into near invisibility.

Again, she couldn't bring herself to care at this precise moment.

Her migraine was starting.

Sarah's brain split in two.

One half had stayed normal, for the most part, and kept Sarah earth-bound and aware. She knew that she was screaming for it to stop, she knew that Mal was still cupping her forehead, still talking to her in a gentle, distant voice, the way a surgeon would a patient. She knew that the Circle around them were looking at her closely, some understanding, some fascinated, and yet others pitying. She knew that they were still in the tall building these people called "the Tower", and that they were in a large, dark room with a circular table filled with some famous witches, from what Mal said anyway.

And, while that half worked on keeping Sarah sane, the other half was doing just the opposite.

_Oh, God, no. Please make it stop…_

It was spewing images at her at a breakneck speed, each picture gone by the time Sarah deciphered what it was.

Wings… beautiful wings so silver it was platinum… a little girl with shiny-blond pigtails, smiling… another girl, with blackish-brown hair, her face turning towards something else, leaving Sarah clueless to whom it was… more wings… and a boy with ash-blond hair, looking confused and walking away...

Everything was coming fast. Too fast. Sarah felt dizzy with the pressure being released in her skull…

It was at that point when Sarah felt a wet, hot towel being placed on her lower neck. It was the best thing to ease head pain, and Sarah's strange migraines, surprisingly, was no exception.

The images slowed, showing her only a scene of red. Everything bathed in red. Blood or fire, Sarah didn't know. She just wanted it to go away.

Gradually, thankfully, it dissolved, joining the other pictures in oblivion. When Sarah opened her eyes, she barely remembered a thing. Although, her head still had the buzzing after-effect of her migraines, and she was sweating. Profusely.

"Ms. Strange," asked the woman with thin lips, she looked the sternest of the group. "Care to share your experience?"

"Don't badger her, Ursula, that won't lead us anywhere." Another woman, with freckles and deep red hair, demanded.

Behind her, holding the towel that had saved her, Kierlan asked if she was okay.

Sarah could only nod.

Mal had reverted back to regular Mal, the dispassionate one, the one who sat as far away from Sarah as he dared, actually pressing his body against the edge of the sofa the three were sharing. Kierlan didn't seem to mind that. He sat back down next to Sarah with a better mood than when he left.

"Mother, I think you should call off the meeting." The girl with deep, unfocused brown eyes looked at Sarah again. She was giving her a look of complete sisterhood, of complete trust and understanding. As if she knew Sarah for more than thirty minutes.

Mother Cybele, as Sarah finally recognized, looked disappointed and relieved "Pardon?"

"These three have told us enough for tonight, yes?"

"Not nearly." But it wasn't Mother Cybele who answered.

"Ursula—"

"Don't pester me Belfana, you know as well as I do that this matter cannot be taken lightly." She looked around the room, at all the—by what Mal had called them—Inner Circle witches.

Mal had said that they were separated from the Night World Council now that the war was approaching, and that the Inner Circle was _the_ Council of the Witches. The leaders of their kind.

Of course, Mal didn't know much more. He's been estranged from the Night World for most of his life.

"Thierry sends a few of his associates on a mission to defend a city from another dragon outburst. There have been three attacks this month, from all over the world. And we have sent others on a search for this Wild Power," She pointed a demanding, pale finger at Mal, who just sat there, looking as if he were watching a monotonous show on television. "since the dawn of the prophecy. We find him, along with, nonetheless, a long lost Drache and a human."

A guy in, what seemed to Sarah, a lab coat added, "Don't forget: he's one of the Harman line."

"That's arguable." Mother Cybele said doubtfully, "He's an orphan. We have no way of knowing whether Mal is a Harman, or a… a—"

"He carries the name honestly, Mother." Aradia cut in, respectfully, as her eyes continued to stare into things only she can. "He's a true Harman."

Mal just stared at the coffee skinned girl.

"What about the Drache?" Ursula persisted.

Kierlan smirked. He always liked attention, whereas Mal hated it. "What about him?"

"Who are your parents, boy?"

Kielan's face uncharacteristically darkened. He ran a hand through his burnished-brown hair. "I don't know."

"Then why do you hold the name?"

Kierlan pursed his lips, mockingly, with no sign of respect on him. Sarah didn't know whether to be proud of him or elbow him. "Because I like it."

Ursula's lips became impossibly thinner, her eyes flashed as the rest of the Circle looked on with amused glances. Some were openly smirking.

"Ursula," A cracked voice called out, "our Maiden's right. Let the children rest."

Sarah smiled shyly at the man in the wheelchair, knowing he just saved Kierlan, and her and Mal, from a lecture

"I second that." This woman was serene-looking. From her dark wavy hair, to her cinnamon tinted skin and pleasant smile.

Grunts and nods from the rest.

Mother Cybele looked pointedly at Ursula.

Ursula backed down, losing the look she was giving Kierlan.

"Shapeshifters." She muttered.

The serene woman spoke again, "We're in allegiance with them now. We're supposed to get along."

"I wish." Sarah mumbled to herself, referring to the two boys on either side of her.

Kierlan snorted at that, almost chortling. Mal almost smiled.

Mother Cybele stood with grace and strength, Aradia stood with her.

"We stand adjourned."

* * *

Kestrel snickered as Lonan stumbled over a tree root.

"I thought you had night vision."

He cursed as he caught his balance. "_I_ thought vampires were brighter than their teeth." He huffed out a breath as he looked back at her with those deep, dark eyes. "Looks like we're both finding out some pretty shocking stuff."

"What's pretty shocking is that you're not dead yet." Kestrel bared her teeth.

"Scary." Lonan said, obviously sarcastic. "Now hush up, will you? You'll attract the 'wolves."

She stepped up, meaning to pass him. "I'm not the one who smells like bird-droppings."

Lonan didn't let her, he moved just in time to block her way. Their faces were inches apart.

His words came out in a whisper. "I'm not the one who _won't shut up_."

Kestrel was about to say how easy it would be for her to decapitate his head in this position, when something strange happened.

It wasn't physical. They were nowhere near touching, even when arguing they had the common sense to avoid that. But _something _happened.

Kestrel felt the trees around them move back, out of her focus. Her sisters and Mark, whom she knew were a distinct distance behind them, were now little dots in her mind. The moon chose that moment to shine through the clouds.

She felt changes in herself, she felt her anger and annoyance subsiding, she felt her glare turn to a simple gaze, she felt her poised shoulders hunch down. And she saw that all that was happening to Lonan too.

Lonan's expression was rattled. Like someone on the brink of finding unending misery and joy but not knowing which was which. He looked completely and utterly torn.

"Kestrel…"

She felt herself give way without her own permission. It was excruciating and pleasant all at the same time.

"Kestrel."

She had to stop this. Their lips were almost touching…

In an attempt to ruin the moment, Kestrel put everything harsh and murderous into her next word. "What?"

Lonan didn't pull away, his eyes, which, from this close, Kestrel knew their color was a dark metallic gray, kept _her_ from pulling away. She couldn't see his lips anymore, they were already almost brushing hers. Kestrel stared into the eyes that held her like a magnet.

_This is it,_ she thought. _This is when I end._

But Lonan moved his neck at the last minute, opting instead to brush her left ear.

"I hate this as much as you do."

Now Kestrel knew.

He wasn't going to kiss her. Lonan was too stubborn. He wanted _her_ to kiss _him_.

And it would be so easy too. All I'd have to do is move my neck up and…

She stiffened.

So did Lonan.

There it was. A smell so _rank_ it made them forget about all that had happened. It made Kestrel finally pull away from Lonan and look around the forest, hissing and curling her lips. It made Lonan clench his fist and retrieve something from his pocket. They were back-to-back, both prepared to fight.

Kestrel sent a warning thought to her sisters at the same moment she heard the howl.

_Werewolf_.

* * *

Ash was dreaming again.

He had to be.

Mary-Lynette was with him.

And the silver cord hummed between them.

Somehow, he dreamt that they were on her favorite hill top, watching the stars.

Masochist, he told himself. Why now?

_Maybe it's because you're dying,_ a little voice whispered. _Maybe this is your reward for slaying dragons._

Whatever the reason, her hand in his felt awfully real.

Then she turned to him, her vivid blue eyes full of tears.

"You're a dream." It wasn't a question, it was a fact. Ash felt himself give a mute nod.

Mary-Lynette choked back on a sob. He reached for her, not once letting go of her hand.

"I'm so sorry, I'm sorry," she kept chanting that, over and over into his chest as he gently rocked her and kissed her hair.

"It's okay." He squeezed her hand. "You were too good for me anyway."

_No I'm not. _Ash hugged her a little tighter when her voice entered his mind. _Please don't go. There's so much I have to make-up for._

Ash's chest heaved painfully as he started to laugh and cry in the same breath.

"You sound like me." He kissed her hair again. "I love you."

Mary-Lynette tried to say it, she honestly did, but her throat kept being blocked by the salty-sweet tang of her tears. Ash pretended it didn't hurt.

_Don't go._ _Please._ She begged him. Begged and pleaded. She loved him as much as she could; Ash knew that, but… it just wasn't enough, and if they pretended it was, it wouldn't be fair. For either of them.

_Ash…_ his name was broken, getting muffled by her sniffles.

It hurt him to ignore her like that, but there was nothing to be done.

_Please._

He released her, slowly, reluctantly, seeing the hurt and agony in her eyes almost, but not quite, matching his own.

"No…"

Ash tried to smile but it kept breaking. His now teal eyes gave the illusion of millions of tears unshed.

_I'm sorry, Mare. I'm so sorry._

He let go of her hand.

The dream ended.

* * *

Mare woke up to an empty room. The hospital room.

And the first thing she did was look at Ash.

She squinted at him, searching for something, _anything _that would suggest his getting better. Nothing. Chalky complexion, little to no breathing, and the beep from the heart rate monitor was getting slower and slower.

No, he was _worse._

Mary-Lynette felt like crying.

The dream… Oh god, it was _real…_

"Mary-Lynette!" The door opened and Jo came in, holding her brown duffel. "I think this is yours." Alixia came right after, looking peaceful and accomplished while holding a root beer.

Jo looked at Mary-Lynette and frowned. "What's up?"

Alixia looked at the monitor. She dropped the root beer. The can made a clanking sound as brown fizz spilled over.

"Goddess, how?"

They both rushed forward, Jo tugging Mare out of the way and Alixia fussing over the machines. She mumbled to herself, Mary-Lynette only heard 'dandelions' and 'mistake?' from the light haired witch. The salty-sweet taste of her tears came back.

"Jo. What happened?"

"I should be the one asking that." Her face was tight. As serious as Jo could get. Her hold on Mare wasn't exactly gentle.

"I don't—I don't know…" She stuttered out. "I was asleep and then I—"

"He's not breathing. Jo, he's not breathing!"

Mary-Lynette's own breath held. "No."

Jo muttered curses that reminded Mare of Kestrel. Then the witch, releasing her grip on Mary-Lynette, joined Alixia at the machines. They were both like an oiled machine, knowing what to do and how to do it—which made Mare feel so useless it hurt.

She hugged herself when she sat back down at her spot, the chair next to Ash; she held his hand 'till her knuckles were as white as his.

"_Dammit_." Jo swore as she double-checked the monitor, "He's _lamia _for Calypso's sake—he should be in the healing process by now."

Alixia was hysterically going through a first aid box. After throwing out some gauze pads and an antibacterial, she held out what looked like an Ambu bag. Mary-Lynette knew what it was from years of Mark's asthma. It stood for Air-Shields Manual Breathing Unit, and it was used to help someone who is either having a hard time breathing, or not breathing at all.

Because she knew the process, Mare took of her sweater and used it as leverage, propping Ash's head on it, making sure his nose was tipped upward. Alixia connected a face mask to the adapter on the bag; with the bag connected to the oxygen tubing; and the tubing connected to the regulator on the tank.

Without hesitation, she placed it tightly on Ash's mouth and nose, she squeezed the mask firmly with her thumb, forcing air into his lungs.

Alixia repeated the process multiple times—pressing briskly once every 5-6 seconds. But his heart rate never changed.

"He's not going to make it."

Mary-Lynette was suddenly mad—at herself and at Ash. It wasn't fair, it never was. But this time, instead of just sitting around and moping about how unjust life was, she'd do something about it.

She began to pull at the cord.

She pulled, both mentally and physically, imagining the cord in front of her—yanking at it, hoping Ash would get the idea and stay on this earth, with her.

Jo was watching the monitor screen like a TV.

"His breathing's not coming back. The electrodes aren't detecting any nerve activities at all."

Mary-Lynette's sweat was beginning to mingle with her tears. It wasn't working. She _knew_ it wasn't going to work from the start. The world hated her too much.

And then… she felt a tug.

The monitor beeped.

"Wait." Jo looked stunned. Her drawn features were pale in comparison with the dark hair falling to her shoulders. The hair on her forehead was damp with sweat, her eyes, both brown and purple, were skeptical. She looked at Alixia.

"Ally, pulse."

Alixia placed her ear to Ash's chest. She nodded, blinking rapidly.

Mary-Lynette felt another tug.

"Breath," demanded Jo, skepticism being replaced by disbelief.

Alixia pressed her thumb against Ash's face mask. In a second, it misted over. Her own breath came out shaky.

"Nice and strong."

"Oh, Polyhymneia," muttered Jo.

Mary-Lynette scarcely heard it.

Another tug. And then another. And another.

Softly, praying to whatever being was listening, she said, "Ash, please don't go, please don't" she swallowed, and then Mare said the truth, she whispered to his ear:

"I need you."

One last tug, it had Mary-Lynnette leaning forward. Alixia moved back with Jo.

Three seconds passed like a small eternity.

And then… she felt his finger twitch.

Mare squeezed his hand 'till it hurt.

Slowly, oh so slowly, his eyes opened with a soft moan. They were aquamarine, the same sad color she saw in her dream.

Then those wide, confused eyes turned towards her, they changed color. Going from teal to a startling blue-gray—it unsettled her to a point that a shiver ran down her spine.

But it didn't matter. He was back. He was _alive_.

Mary-Lynette welcomed the pink haze she had so lately despised.

Then she kissed him. Full on the lips. Electrical sparks danced around her system, and she loved it all. Because Ash was _alive._

And he kissed back, not quite as eager as her maybe, but he kissed back.

When she pulled away, Mary-Lynette was ready to see love and awe in his eyes. Wonder and astonishment. Adoration and ecstasy.

Boy, was she mislead.

Ash just looked at her, as confused as before. Then he spoke, and Mary-Lynette actually felt her heart drop.

"Who… are you?"

_**Author's Note: **_

**Wow… I shocked myself with that one. Wat about u, huh? Surprised or wat? God, I sure hope so, otherwise, I could have made everything a whole lot easier and given Ash and M.L. a happy ending and stuff. :{ 2 bad i didn't, right? But this scene just begged to be in the story and well... not like i could resist what my hand writes. :/ **

**So... Halloween's coming up... and i might have to spend it on bed rest :(((((( I'm sick...*****coughcough*... with any luck i'll do a complete 180 and get my sneezing butt out of the house and out for some candy at my skool's party =}**

***And by the way, the part with Sarah Strange's POV, i kno that it's confusing, with the Inner Circle members, but if it helps, here's a list of them**

**Mother Cybele= well i stated her by name, so idont think i have to do one for her :}**

**Aradia= same wit Cybele**

**Aunt Ursula= ditto**

**Nana Buruku= serene woman with cinnamon skin**

**Rhys= man in lab coat**

**Creon= man in wheelchair**

**Belfana= woman with freckles and red hair**

**Old Bob= now i don't think i mentioned him, but he's there. I don't have a description 4 him tho... :[**

**So that's it. If you need anymore info on them, just reread Spellbinder (or Enchantress if ur in UK). **

**Be sure to check out my other story Jez and Morgy: Days to Remember, I can't rly paste a link but i hope u find it in the list :]**

**Kayz... so i think thats it... bye bye XD**

_**XOXO- panini999**_


	17. Chapter 16

_**Disclaimer**__** No ownership. **_

**First up, for those of you that want to kno y I havn't updated, the answer is plain nd simple. **

**I have a life.**

**So unfortunately, I can't spend every waking moment on this computer typing like a robot. **

**Now I kno im complaining, nd I kno that I can just leave this story behind nd 4get about it (def the easiest thing to do 4 me) but im not going to. At least not anytime soon… or w/o a warning.**

**So ther :] HaPPy THaNKSGiViNG!!!! & MeRRy CHRiSTMaS!!!!! (or almost neway) **

**Chapter 17**

The girl in front of him stood like a statue. She looked too shocked to cry. Too shocked to blink.

Ash just stared at her.

There was something about her… he couldn't quite get a hold of it. Maybe it was her hair, the way it held light despite the dark sheen. Or her eyes. He'd never seen such snapping blue eyes before.

Okay, so she's pretty, he thought, but that didn't mean anything. He still didn't know her.

Not that he minded that kiss…

The silence was as heavy as a blanket.

"So," Ash said, without breaking eye contact with the strange, blue-eyed girl, "care to tell me what happened?"

The girl holding his hand gave a sudden jerk, like whatever held her in place finally snapped.

"What happened? WHAT HAPPENED?" she shrieked. "You don't _remember _me, that's what happened!" Were those tears in her eyes?

Ash glared at her, even though there was something in him that screamed to comfort her.

"I don't _know_ you. I don't even know where I am."

"You're in a hospital," another girl Ash was positive he's never seen before came up. She was wearing a lab coat, regardless of the fact that she couldn't be any older than him.

"And do you know _why _I'm in a hospital?" He had half his bets on him getting beat up from the girl with blue eyes. Of course he doubted it. Lamia weren't easily beaten up. But the girl was certainly crazy enough to attempt it.

"Wait, so you don't remember _anything._" Another girl stated, hands crossed, different colored eyes squinted.

Ash wrinkled his nose. "Define: anything."

"You know your name? Who you are?"

"Of course." He propped himself up on the bed, not heeding the wires that fell down.

The girl squinted again. Ash wondered at her eyes. One brown, one purple.

Maybe she's a witch, he mused, the only people I know with purple eyes are Harmans.

And the nurse was surely a witch too.

So why was there a human in here?

"What's the last thing you remember, Ash?"

"Nothing_,_" he got out, putting on an innocent tone, "absolutely nothing."

Something hit him upside the head.

It didn't hurt, but it was enough to get a surprised "Ow…" from him.

"Jerk." The blue eyed girl was glaring at him, with streams of wetness going down her cheeks. "I came all this way for you. _And you don't remember me._"

Ash rubbed the spot on his head. "You don't want to do that."

"And why not?" she challenged. Her hand was already raised for another blow.

Ash let his eyes change color. He opened his mouth.

The girl's eyes widened then narrowed to a slit. Her tears were still running.

"You wouldn't."

Something strange happened then. Ash almost gave in. He almost unclenched his muscles, almost retracted the two most prized weapons of his kind and said sorry.

But then he remembered who he was.

And more importantly, remembered what _she _was.

Vermin.

And he was thirsty.

"Try me."

* * *

Mare's breath hitched, but she kept talking anyway.

"You think I care?"

Ash faltered, a second away from tackling her. "Excuse me?"

"You think I care if you bit me?"

The door burst open before Ash could even reply.

Mary-Lynette didn't know what happened next. Honest. All she did know was that when the door closed, she was suddenly _not _next to Ash and suddenly being held back by a girl with curly red hair.

And then she saw James in her place beside Ash, who was only momentarily dazed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ash's hair shone under the lights, almost silver. It matched his eyes. "That was my dinner!"

"No, she's not." Mary-Lynette saw how James' jaw clenched. He was trying his best to keep a collected attitude. "Don't you know who that is?"

From where she was, Mare saw Ash's eyes roll. "She's just a human, James, there are plenty more to go around." He looked at her, and then back to James. "I can share if you want."

Mary-Lynette had a feeling the cool look James currently had on his face was fading. "Are you mental? It's _Mary-Lynette_,Ash."

"I don't really care, cousin, so long as her blood's fine." Ash distinctly looked at her and licked his lips. Mare blinked away more tears.

James looked back at her; she gave him a desperate look.

The orange curls in front of Mare bounced as the girl shook her head. "That's not funny Ash."

"Wasn't supposed to be, Poppet." He gave her a charming smile, obviously changing the subject for some reason. "I see you're doing well. How's vampirism for you? Getting enough blood?"

James's tone and gaze grew protective. "She's fine," he said, at the same moment Alixia gathered herself and asked. "You remember them?"

Ash seemed to have given up on Mary-Lynette's blood. His smile was fang-free as he answered Alixia. "Sure I do. This here is my vermin-loving cousin and the vermin—excuse me, Poppy, _vampire—_he loves. Says they're soulmates. Fairly confusing, but it's a wonderful story." Sarcasm and indifference seemed to be two of Ash's favorite tones.

Mary-Lynette was glancing at Poppy.

Her green eyes were a much darker shade than Jade's, but tinted with silver just the same. And her pale complexion stated the obvious.

James turned his soulmate?

She tried to feel disgust, or horror, but no matter how much she wanted to, Mare couldn't fully suppress the jealousy she was feeling.

"What happened to him?" A pair of gray eyes met Mare's directly. "Why doesn't he know you?"

She didn't say anything, just shook her head.

* * *

Jo had been watching and thinking the whole time. Now she stopped and looked at James. They weren't friends, but they knew each other well enough. Almost everyone in this Circle Daybreak knew everybody else, if only for diplomatic purposes.

"Hey, James, you think you can watch him for a few?"

James didn't answer, Poppy did. Jo knew her better, maybe because she's been to a few training seminars. She had always classified Poppy as the peppy, pixie type based on her looks and usual personality, but the expression on her face now was more confused and worried than cheery and eager. "We'll do it."

"Thanks." Jo mumbled. Then she remembered something. "You're Phil's sister right?"

Poppy's perkiness almost returned at the mention of her brother. "Yes."

"Well, just wanted to tell you that his training's beginning to pay off. He was in the last mission, and he saved lots of lives." She gave half a smile. Poppy smiled back.

"Thanks, Jo."

"No problem. Oh, wait, there is a problem." She paused, recalling about and pointing to the singed hem in her leather jacket. "He has to work on his witch fire. And his aim. He owes me a new jacket."

Ally elbowed her. Poppy giggled.

"I'll tell him."

Over at the bed, Ash was rolling his neck and stretching his muscles. "Why do I feel so sore?"

Jo raised her eyebrows at the stupid question. "Why are you in a hospital?"

He didn't change his expression or demeanor at all when he settled back down on the bed, hands folded, blanket tucked neatly around him. "Just shut up and find out what's wrong with me."

"I'm not sure where to start."

Ash opened his mouth. Mary-Lynette brushed at her eyes.

It was funny; Jo would've sworn that that small gesture made Ash cut whatever he was going to say off.

But then again, he didn't even know who she was.

"Make sure to not pull on the wires too much, Ash." Ally was taking off her lab coat, while rubbing at her eyes to fight away the drowsiness. "We still have to monitor your heart rate."

"Oh, joy."

"Come on then." Jo opened the door to the hallway. Ally went out, sneezing and yawning at the same time. Then Jo called to Mare.

"You're coming too."

The poor girl looked too shaken to protest. She just followed her out the door.

* * *

Ash watched the girl until she disappeared.

Strange, that one, he thought. He's been with crazy girls on occasion, but that one took the cake.

_And I don't even know her. _

"Hey, cousin."

"I'm not letting you go Ash." James said as expressionlessly as Ash remembered, but his cousin was looking at him in a pitying way. Which got Ash annoyed. What did he need this vermin-lover's pity for? He was just a softie. Ash was ashamed to be related to him. Maybe he'd have to kill him and Poppy one day. The little renegade never did get ousted yet…

No, Ash, not now. Play your role. Convince them to leave you alone for just a second…

He had to know where he was, and more importantly, how to escape.

"I wasn't going to ask you to. Why do you always have to think the worst of me, cousin?"

The pity stayed on James' face. "I do now."

Before he could ask what on earth he could mean by that, Poppy, looking not a speck different from the last time Ash saw her, tilted her head. "You really don't remember her?"

Ash assumed she was talking about the girl. He widened his eyes and let them glaze over, forming the picture of curiosity. "Actually, that's what I was going to ask you." He paused. How he loved dramatic dialogue. "What did you say her name was?"

James, sounding like a teacher telling a student something as obvious as two plus two, said, "Mary-Lynette Carter. She's your soulmate."

Ash froze for a heartbeat.

Then he threw his head back and laughed.

Ash never would have thought James to be a comedian. It was like imagining that buff Governor doing a pirouette.

"I have to—have to admit," he said in between snickers, the two before him waited with slightly narrowed eyes while he settled down. "I almost believed you for a minute there." He sighed, letting the last of his outburst die. "So really who is she?"

"I just told you."

Poppy sat down on the chair the girl had been sitting on. She folded her hands below her neck and shrugged. "And he's not kidding."

Ash felt bubbles of laughter come up again. "So you expect me to believe that that girl—"

"Mary-Lynette."

"—is my soulmate."

Ash looked at both of them equally, still fighting his chuckles. He could swear that his eyes changed color. Maybe a dark green.

He looked at his cousin's grave face. Mostly grave. Ash could still detect pity in James' stare, Poppy practically radiated sympathy.

All of a sudden his laughter stopped.

They actually expected him to believe that soulmate garbage.

He shrugged his shoulders, toyed with one of the stray wires like that witch nurse specifically told him not to, and said as indifferently as he could manage, "Okay, I'll play along. So what if she's my soulmate. What am I supposed to do now?"

"Remember her of course."

"And how do you expect me to do that, Poppy?"

She looked at James. He looked at her. Ash stared lazily at both of them.

Poppy shrugged again. "We were hoping you knew."

* * *

"Well, we know he went through physical trauma," Jo was explaining, she felt sorry when she saw Mary-Lynette wince but she didn't see how to avoid it, "but the dragon blast shouldn't have been enough to disrupt his memories."

"It should have been enough to kill him."

Surprisingly, that wasn't Jo, or Ally, it was Mare herself. The girl had the look of a child waking up in the dark after a nightmare about monsters. Scared but determined to fight whatever was coming.

They had walked across the hall, to the bench near the door of Rm. 3. Jo and Ally were standing. Mary-Lynette was sitting down.

Her voice was a mere monotone. "Why didn't it kill him?"

"Did you _want _it to kill him, Mare?"

She didn't reply. Just sat there staring at her shoes.

Jo heard Ally shuffle her feet. She looked at her wristwatch.

"Listen Mare it's almost eleven. Maybe you should go to sleep."

Again, Mary-Lynette didn't respond.

"Come on," Ally said, "we'll take you."

* * *

_Werewolf._

Kestrel didn't dare speak. She didn't dare to breathe.

Lonan was as motionless beside her.

Dimly, focusing the best of her senses to her surroundings, Kestrel felt Rowan's presence enter her mind. She spoke, no longer gentle, but still sensible.

_We'll be there. _

Kestrel didn't respond. She didn't bother protesting with her older sister. It was pointless whenever Rowan gets into her overprotective state. And besides, she and Jade knew Kestrel and Lonan's location. They weren't even far away. Kestrel couldn't stop them even if she tried.

Howls pierced through the night, confirming that there was more than one.

But they were fainter.

"Why—?"

Kestrel slightly shook her head. "No idea."

Another howl. It was fainter still.

Lonan was almost shaking with anticipation. "What's going on?"

"Why don't you go find out?"

It wasn't rhetoric. And Lonan got the meaning without a problem.

In less time than she could send Rowan a warning, Lonan was off flying through the trees.

_We're almost there. _They were. If Kestrel used enough Power to scan through the forests she was sure to find the three of them within a mile.

_No, _she had to think. _They aren't attacking. _

_What?_

_They're moving farther away. I don't know why, but they are._

_They must have been in league with the vampires, _Rowan reasoned, _it _can't_ be a coincidence. _

Jade's scintillating green aura popped up as she joined the conversation. _Maybe they don't have our scent._

Kestrel snorted both mentally and physically.

_Fat chance._

Then Rowan asked: _What did you do with the corpses after we left, Jade? Did you burn them?_

_No, _The two made vampires that had attacked her and Jade had been hastily cleaned up after. Kestrel had been busy giving Lonan some of her Power to survive while Rowan and Jade hid the lifeless bodies under a pile of dirt and leaves, leaving the last part of the job to Mother Nature.

_You said it would attract attention. Why?_

Silence. Rowan was thinking.

_Rowan,_ Jade whined. _What is it?_

_I don't like it, _she said, _something feels wrong. They have our scent but they're not tracking us. _

Kestrel bit her lip.

If Rowan was right, which she most likely is, then the 'wolves can pick up their scent as easy as a hawk can see a mouse.

So why weren't they doing it?

That was when Kestrel felt the air _whoosh _behind her. Footsteps told her who it was.

Lonan was back.

"So?"

Lonan was breathing hard, but he was shaken for a different reason. Strands of his ebony hair fell across his eyes.

"They're heading towards Briar Creek."

* * *

_No No No No No , _was the only word in Kestrel's mind.

Beside her, flying at the max of 32 mph, was Lonan.

She was sprinting. Nothing mattered but getting back and killing those damned 'wolves.

Mark and her sisters were far from her mind. Dimly, Kestrel sensed Rowan and Jade tracking her, trying to pin-point her location but she was moving too fast for them to get it exactly. And she was going too fast to care.

She had no time to think about consequences.

* * *

Poppy let her thoughts whirl around. She let Ash see all he needed to see.

She was concentrating, real hard. She was going to have to comb out her hair again after this, locks of curly orange stuck to her forehead as Poppy sweated out.

"You don't have to do this, Poppy." James said. Poppy still loved that protective tone in his voice, but it was being wasted.

"Stop worrying, Jamie, I know what to do." And I'm not that fragile anymore, she wanted to add, but instead she said, "And I'm the only one who can do this."

James couldn't argue on that point. Poppy, being witch and vampire, was the only one strong enough to project her thoughts into Ash's thick skull. Emphasis on thick.

"I heard that,"he said. Poppy bit back a giggle.

It was hard for her to concentrate. Mind erasing and mind control came naturally to a vampire; it was like their instinct. Control. Feed. Erase. It was what they do.

But mind linking with someone whom you've never linked with before, _and _making sure you wouldn't erase or control theirs, or in this case, that they wouldn't erase or control _yours_. That took a lot more effort.

Poppy's head was starting to ache.

_Okay Ash. Can you hear me?_

_Already said I can. _He looked bored, Poppy thought.

All right then. Let's make this exciting.

She sped up. Poppy did her best to broadcast various images and words into Ash's brain to portray all the events leading up to here.

First: Mary-Lynette. She threw words at him to describe his one and only. Words that he himself told her.

_Spunky. Stubborn. Astronomy know-it-all. Strong right kick. _

She let him see how depressed he got whenever people talked about or talked with their soulmates, reminding him what it felt like to be with the one you were destined to be with, knowing he couldn't have that solace until _his _accepted him first.

She also added a few words of her own, trying to help, describing to him how he was like.

_You were… empty. _She frowned. Finding the right words for this was difficult. _But you were a better _you…._ somehow. _

Knowing how cliché that was, Poppy gave up word play. She envisaged what James told her instead. How Mary-Lynette came all the way from—Oregon, she thought.—to see Ash. James said that she fought off two packs of werewolves in the same day, and that she was close to dying each time, but she still came.

Ash's eyebrows knitted a bit at the werewolves' part.

_Are you worried about her? _She tried.

_No. Just thinking about how awful her blood would have tasted with that odor. _He shook his head. _What a waste._

Poppy tried again after telepathically calling Ash a pig.

_Do you remember the Apocalypse then?_

She saw him give a slight start, and scattered thoughts made his head a mess. But he managed to clean it all up before Poppy could get a deeper look.

_You mean all that mumbo jumbo about Armageddon. _Poppy saw him roll his eyes. More_ fairytales? _

_Shut up Ash._

He raised his eyebrows. _I'm not talking._

_You know what I mean. _

Then she gave him the rest of the details. She told him about how signs were constantly popping up, cities being shaken, or ultimately destroyed, by some form of disaster. California had just recently reported _another _earthquake. One that literally shook the Golden Gate Bridge. Floods in Ecuador, landslides in the Philippines, wildfires in Australia, and even a new Influenza Pandemic.

Poppy gave him a piece of her mind, literally, when she showed him the images that were taken of the cities where Circle Daybreak was too late to help.

Fire. Forests on fire in Athens, Greece. The once great city virtually invisible by the amount of ash and debris. A sister Daybreak base was there, as there was in most major cities, doing all they can to put out the fire. They did eventually, with the help of outside human help, but not before the death toll reached over 50.

It was horrible for Poppy to watch on the monitors, thinking about how many people,especially _children_, were choking on that poisonous smoke when the rest of Circle Daybreak was powerless to stop it. Even when James held her tighter, she cried.

In Ash, Poppy could sense denial. Strong denial about everything she's told him.

_You don't believe me?_

He scoffed. _What gave it away?_

Poppy refrained from calling him anymore names. _What about what you did last summer?_

_The movie? _Sarcasm.

_No. In Briar Creek, Oregon._

Again, a slight start. Thoughts and—dare Poppy hope?—memories sprung up.

Again, Ash covered them up as quickly as they surfaced.

Poppy narrowed her eyes. She didn't say anything more. It was pointless with Ash Redfern. He was just too impossible.

He gave her a crooked smile.

She went back to her old technique. She let her thoughts go by at a steady,_ almost_ organized pace. Ash heard them all. Poppy just hoped he understood them.

* * *

It felt like hours, but it must have been mere minutes when James tapped Poppy on her shoulder. "What is it?" Speaking verbally was a thousand times different than speaking non-verbally. If that made any sense. Poppy herself was confused on that matter. Her voice was weary and hoarse.

"I don't think it's going so well." James commented. He pointed with his chin at Ash, who by now had just realized the halt in their telepathic conversation. His glazed, light blue eyes made Poppy decide that he hadn't paid much attention in the first place.

He had fake concern written all over his face.

"What. Is it over now?"

Ash looked directly at Poppy, right into her eyes.

Then Poppy had a sudden sense of conviction she didn't know she had.

No. It's not over. I'll do whatever it takes to help you remember.

Poppy in turn, looked directly at James. Right into his eyes.

Ash's eyes didn't waver, but they changed from light blue to a dark gray as he smiled.

Ash smiled to himself and zipped up his jacket as he followed James and Poppy out of the room.

Through his clever planning and technique, he had gotten out of room arrest. Now the only thing left was how to get out of the hospital. And then get some answers.

There was no way he was going to buy all that Apocalypse trash.

He rubbed his neck while James hurried up to look at Poppy.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked.

Poppy didn't respond. Ash smiled again.

The trick was to find the perfect place for a getaway, preferably one with multiple exits and entrances. One where he could lose these two and be done with it.

But he had to be quick about it. Considering his said injuries (he still felt so very sore) he may not be able to control Poppy much longer.

Of course, he wasn't controlling her completely _now._ Ash was letting Poppy go wherever she wanted. So long as it had doors and windows.

They were maybe at the westernmost point of the building. Poppy led them right to a glassed window that looked, to Ash, that it should belong in a church. It was of a woman, with a silver crescent on her forehead. The background behind her was made up of all the colors of the sunset. Purple, blue, orange, and yellow.

But the window was transparent, and Ash mentally marked down the landscapes.

There was a garden, complete with hedges and a spewing fountain. Farther off, Ash could see lights. Maybe there was a city there.

Suddenly Poppy, not under Ash's control, took a left and trotted up the stairs. James followed. Ash was concerned with the camera.

James called back from the fourth step. "Come on. There's no one on camera duty tonight."

Ash, wary of trusting his dear cousin, made sure to coincidentally pause each time he took a step. When he finally reached the stairs and made his way up where Poppy and James were waiting for him, he came to a decision.

He was going to jump a window.

But not yet. Ash had to keep waiting. Be a good jailbird.

"Let's take him to the O. R." Poppy said to James, who looked at her expressionlessly, obviously trying, and succeeding, to keep a straight face.

"Sure."

O.R. huh?

"Why not?" Ash commented as the three began to walk at a brisker pace.

They passed hallways filled with corkboards and planners. This floor looked like one of those offices where they stuck humans inside itsy bitsy cubicles.

Rooms were less frequent, however, and each door had a plaque that said _Printer _or _Filer _or_ Computer room._

Ash made sure to widen his senses when they passed the _Camera Operator._

Nope. His built in radar picked up no presence at all. James had been telling the truth.

It must have been dumb luck that they haven't run into someone yet. Ash was sure there were other living beings in this hospital. The sounds of clicking keyboards and beeping printers proved it.

But it was when they passed the _Sanitation Room_ that Ash saw somebody else.

It was a man, practically a grandpa, in a janitorial outfit. He was on a step ladder, facing away from Ash, trying to grab a glass cleaner from the top shelf.

And Ash was surprised to find that he was human.

Vermin, Ash scolded himself, he's just _vermin_.

He was going to attack him, as he hadn't even sipped so much as a drop of blood, but James stopped him.

"_No_, Ash." James was almost Ash's height, but the blond lamia wasn't intimidated at all. He could take him.

When he showed signs of changing, glowing eyes and protruding canines, James said gravely, "There's a place here where hunting's much better. We'll go there as soon as possible after this."

"Not soon enough," but Ash stopped. His fangs receded once again.

I bet he doesn't taste that good anyway.

James tried to mask his relief.

Ten more minutes went by before they arrived at a door marked _Observation Room._

"So," Ash started, because he really was curious in spite of himself, "what do you do here?"

Poppy looked at him with half sad, half excited emerald eyes.

"This is where we watch the news."

* * *

The news, it seemed, was all about tragedies.

When Poppy was showing Ash her memories about the Apocalypse, and the disasters it brought about, the cynic in him had assumed she was exaggerating to the point of lying.

Not anymore.

The O.R. turned out to be a lounge, with furniture resembling that of a café or bar. There was a flat screen about the size of a picnic table at the front, and three lengthy couches were arranged in a semi-circle for multiple viewing, like in cafés. Chairs of every kind were behind them on elevated ground, and mini TVs hung from the ceiling in front of them, in case one couldn't see the flat screen. Like in bars.

Except bars or cafés didn't have clippings of newspaper headlines all over one side of the walls.

The elevated ground was shaped in an E, except without the middle line. It consisted of the back, where the chairs were, and then it kept going to the two other walls until they ended before the door, with three steps each. Rod ironed, plastic paned railings outlined irs edges.

The wall Ash was looking at, the one completely opposite the door was where the clippings were. Each tacked on to a wall-sized cork board.

Either Poppy or James turned on the lights, but Ash didn't need it to see what the headlines were all about.

Titles flew from the wall.

**VOLCANOES AND TSUNAMIS WREAK HAVOC IN INDONESIA**

Could this mean a second Atlantis?

**GLOBAL WARMING REACHES AN ALL-TIME HIGH**

How broken pieces of icebergs found their way into the New Foundland Sea.

**CASUALTIES IN IRAQ REACHING THOUSANDS**

Will this war ever end?

Hundreds of pictures and titles and headings, all about one form of disaster or another. Happening in cities or countries millions of miles apart.

There was nothing Ash could do but keep reading.

He read about droughts and blizzards. He read about diseases and famine and wars. He read about bloodshed and animal attacks.

He read about death and extinction.

Ash suddenly felt what most people in shock felt. The need to sit down, or maybe to blink. The need to make sure this was real.

Poppy and James appeared on either side of him. No one said anything for a long time.

Ash's head was still fumbling.

Okay, fine, so maybe it is real.

There was no denying proof. Even _his_ skepticism couldn't find a loophole in this one.

But what was _he_ going to do about it?

"Do you believe me now?" Poppy asked.

Ash pretended he didn't hear her. He looked around the room as an excuse.

And then he remembered his purpose.

Escape.

But where was a window?

Poppy was watching Ash. "I think it's time to go, Jamie."

What? No!

"What's the rush?" Ash needed all of his acting skills on this one. He was more or less proud to hear that his voice didn't even crack.

"The _rush_ is that you aren't even supposed to be in here." Poppy mad was a startling sight to see, even for Ash. That perky voice of hers was surprisingly menacing. She looked at James again. "Turn off the lights."

James did.

And Ash saw it.

There was light, silvery light, coming from above the cork board. It wasn't a window per se, just a two-foot, rectangular-shaped, breathing hole. Like an air conditioner. He could almost taste the night air.

But it was high up. Meaning Ash would have to jump to get over and out. And he didn't even know if there was anything outside for him to hold onto, lest he fall. Of course, he would be able to withstand the impact, meaning he wouldn't die, or even get scraped. But Ash couldn't risk the three-second delay of getting back up. James or Poppy may be able to catch him, and he'll get sent right back to where he started. In a hospital room.

No. He had to think. Seconds won't be enough for a plan…

But it had to be.

Poppy wasn't watching him anymore; her back was to him, facing James.

She took a step towards James.

James held out a hand to help her descend the three steps off the platform. Both their eyes were on each other.

Ash saw his chance.

Quickly, using the strength he had worked to sustain, Ash hopped onto the railings with one fluid movement, squatting, getting ready. Just like a big cat. He may have even hissed once or twice.

Poppy had time for a quick gasp and fumbling reach. James jumped onto the railing a second too late.

Ash launched himself up.

Spread-eagled, of course, with his hands and feet wide apart. A nanosecond, or maybe it was even shorter, before he saw the window he panicked. What if his head didn't fit? What if he ended up with a concussion instead of freedom? And then they'd have to restart… have to help him get his memories back _again…_

A millisecond later, however, he was out. He had gotten through.

Night air. Wind blew at Ash's face almost harshly, but he didn't lose his focus.

Not yet. He had to find support before he fell down to the ground.

Here was an interesting fact. There was one supernatural trait anybody, humans and lamia, shapeshifter or werewolf, possesed. The only difference was that not enough humans were put on the spot. So they never learned to harness this '_superpower'_.

Lamia did.

Or at least, Ash did.

Everything was crystal clear as he fell, and time was slowing down.

So, when Ash saw an easily-grab able tree branch in front of him, he didn't even hesitate.

It was an odd outgrowth. It went straight up from the treetop like an angry, crooked finger. Ash didn't know if it would break or what.

But he had no time, and it was _perfect_. It was like it was shaped into that, or placed at that very spot, just for _him. _

As soon as both his hands met cool wood, Ash was suddenly grateful for physics.

One second had passed.

He used his momentum and the branch to do a complete 180. One that sent him back to the hospital's wall.

Crazy, right?

But he had a _plan._

Pipes. They could be hidden or visible, but every building had them. Even one operated by witches.

Ash used that to his advantage.

A sleek pipe ran down the side of the window, he knew because something metal shined at the corner of his eye the second he was out. And because the branch lead him right to it.

Ash didn't believe in coincidences.

He made a grab for the pipe, and for a second, thought he was going to fall. The thing was slipperier than he thought.

Yes, his left hand and both his feet missed their mark. For a full second he just hung there, with only the strength of his right hand, trying to regain balance.

A second was all he needed. His hands and feet knew where they had to go now, and just like that, Ash was climbing.

Right hand, left foot. Left hand, right foot.

The incredible thing was, he was climbing _up._

The original plan was for him to only get a hold of the pipe. And then he'd drop down and _run_. Run like never before.

But it changed for some reason. His instincts told him to go up. And then to swing into the first open window he sees.

Which was a mistake on his part. One that cost him everything.

In retrospect, Ash should have told his instincts to shut up.

But he did have a small smile while he was climbing. Because of the irony of it. Him being a vampire, crawling up a building in the moonlit night. It was so _Dracula._

He went on speed-climbing for maybe half a second before he saw an open, two-paneled window to his right.

He took it, taking another half a second to find its barely noticeable ledge, grab it, then swing himself in.

But Ash didn't sway a moment, not even when his Reeboks touched a wood-paneled floor. He quickly ran back to the window, kneeling on a connected vinyl couch, and shut the window pane with a less than audible _click._

Ash let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and looked out the window.

The key in successful chase scenes, if you're the one being chased, is to never look back unless you have a full, valuable second to spare.

But since Ash knew Poppy and James would expect him to be on the ground by this time, he was sure he was safe. For now at least.

He had time to come up with a new plan.

But first…

Ash collapsed onto the sofa underneath the window.

He couldn't believe how _sore _he was, and not just from the whole jumping-through-a-window-and-climbing-up-the-wall thing. Since he woke up. There was pain in his head, in his stomach, his limbs, and in his lungs. Though the pain in his lungs was for an entirely different reason…

Trying to divert his train of thought, Ash looked around the room. He got up from the couch in an almost brusque manner.

Ceiling lights were arranged in a broad spiral above him, the walls were painted blue, the bed was green, and the matching, green, ticking clock told him that it was half-past eleven. The room was completed with a desk, a closet, and a bathroom.

Ash knew where he was now. Believe it or not, he _was_ listening to Poppy. Hanging on every word, trying to see if she could give him an escape route.

He seemed to have landed himself on the third floor, the hotel floor. No hospital room would be this cozy.

"Not exactly my style," he thought out loud, fingering a green and blue lava lamp, "but it'll do."

"Mm…"

Something stirred under the green covers.

Ash blinked.

He knew that voice…

He shook his head.

Oh, _idiot._ Dammit. I should have scanned the room _first_…

But the truth was, Ash couldn't have even if he wanted to. He was too weak. He barely had enough Power to shield himself from James and Poppy.

He needed blood.

So. He took a little whiff…

Expertly, with the grace of a cat, he let the air waft into his system.

Ash's very own throat convulsed.

Oxygen.

_Blood._

His hands turned into claws as he took two, maybe three, silent steps toward his food.

There she was. The girl with blue eyes.

She wasn't in a deep sleep, it seemed. She was tossing and turning, dark brown hair getting caught and tangled all over the pillow. Maybe she was getting nightmares.

Before he could debate whether or not to kill her now, he heard her mumble something. But even his ears couldn't track what she said.

Amusing himself, Ash waited until she mumbled again. This time, he heard her.

She sighed. "Ash…"

_Bu-bump. _

How strange…

Ash came to himself in a start. Somehow, he was on his knees, in front of the girl.

What's happening to me?

His fangs hadn't come in yet, and though his throat felt like the Sahara desert, Ash couldn't quite keep the predator feel in him.

Idiot_, _he seems to be calling himself that a lot lately, she's just vermin. And you _need _to do it.

The first signs of starvation, or dehydration, were beginning to surface. Ash's breath was coming in quick, quiet gasps now. The headache and stomach pain and tingly feelings in his limbs all disappeared while the pain in his lungs and throat intensified.

He was hyperventilating. He couldn't get any air. No air… he _needed _air…

His hands stayed clawed. Ash forced himself to bend further down.

His lips were so close to her throat…

_**Author's Note: **__**BUM BUM BUUUUUUUUM!!!!!**_

**Reviews make me happy 8D**

**I turned 13 last/last week =}}} watched New Moon wit my buddies XDDD**

**Anyone caught that Dracula reference? Well im doing that book for my report, so i guess i had to add it... im just kewl like that :} *hee hee _kewl._..* **

**O nd 2 my friends from skool: IF UR READING THIS ND U DON'T SAY HI OR REVIEW *coughcough*Baba/Miz/Lumnus/or any BrOthErHooD pplz*cough* I SWEAR I'LL KILL U. :) **

_**XOXO- panini999**_


	18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer

_** No ownership. **_

**Talk to y'all down there at A/N **

**Enjoy 8)))))))**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Ash could see veins throb underneath the girl's neck. He could see a few strands of her hair rise at the wind his breath was making. He could see how her breath was slow and steady, and if Ash were to keep quiet about it, he knew he'd be able to drink her veins dry at any given moment. Even were she to wake, she'd be too shaken and powerless to stop him.

What he_ didn't_ see was why it was taking him so long.

He was _dying. _He knew it. Ash knew the signs well enough, and the very steps that would lead a vampire to death due to oxygen deprivation. If he didn't drink blood soon enough, his body would eat itself out. Cramps would cause him to collapse, his airways would be trapped. He would choke on the very air he breathed.

The only answer was the sleeping girl in front of him.

The very tip of his fangs touched her warm flesh. His lips were closing in when he heard a soft hiss from her.

She was waking.

I have to kill her now.

_No need to be brash, Ash. _A voice inside him whispered. _Wait and see what happens. _

* * *

Mary-Lynette's eyes fluttered once but refused to open up all the way. She felt something on her neck…

It's just my hair… no big deal…

She felt something cold touch the side of her throat.

Wait.

Why is my hair _pointed_?

Her eyes snapped opened then, a low gasp of breath inhaled before she could see through sleep's last blurriness.

Before she could see him.

Ash.

He was looking up at her, because he was on his knees, and his eyes were a deep, deciding brown. But with a glow behind them that reminded Mare of the silver tint.

His teeth were positioned right at her throat.

Mary-Lynette's breath was ragged. She tried thinking rationally but no sense of what was to do came. Her head felt all cloudy and dizzy and she had no way of knowing if this were a dream or not. Maybe it was. It wouldn't be the first time.

But if it weren't…

He was going to do it.

He was going to feed from her.

And Mary-Lynette was more than self-repulsed to find that she didn't care as much as she should.

A part of her begged for it, actually. The bite was one of the things she missed. It was a one of a kind feeling, and the scientific side of Mary-Lynette was dying to dissect its roots and purposes.

And the high wasn't exactly a downside either.

Ash let out a raspy breath. The kind someone does when suffocating. It sent goosebumps all over Mare's neck. His lips only a centimeter away from its mark, Mary-Lynette shivered.

And for three whole seconds, they just stared at each other.

* * *

For three whole seconds, Ash forgot who he was.

_Bu-bump._

He forgot what he was doing.

_Those eyes… they're so… _familiar…

He forgot what he had to do.

That is, until she spoke to him.

Her words were a ragged whisper. "What are you waiting for?"

He felt like laughing. If only his lungs would allow it.

_What _are_ you waiting for? _What indeed. Every fiber of Ash's body was fighting itself, albeit for the oxygen if nothing else. Kill, or die? It was a very simple question. Why couldn't he answer it?

"I don't know."

She closed her eyes for a quick second. When she opened them, the snapping blue irises were staring straight up. Her pulse was racing but her breath was falling back to slow and steady.

Her next words were incredibly succinct and devoid of emotion. "Are you going to kill me?"

He was silent. Dots danced around his vision. The aches continued.

When he stayed silent, he felt Mary-Lynette—that was her name. He knew it was her name—shift underneath him. Her arms were up and they were surrounding him. Her cool fingers touched the hair at the back of his neck, hesitantly at first, but then increasingly confident.

Ash held in some more breaths.

"Do it."

She guided him, almost pressing his teeth deep enough to puncture skin with her shaky hold.

Silence.

Ash felt more than heard her suck in a breath. Oh, how he wanted to just _breathe… _

Another breath. "Do it."

Ash couldn't believe it. He looked down at her neck, cross-eyed. He saw the blue veins running down, and he felt the little pulsations they made as blood rushed through them. Blood…

_Life…_

And Ash didn't—_couldn't_ protest any more. He couldn't hold back, couldn't do anything except chuckle hoarsely through the fire burning in his throat. The last of his oxygen was used up on three syllables.

"You're crazy."

She didn't respond. Ash let his instincts take over.

The feeling of superiority returned. The feel of the predator closing in on prey.

Teeth sunk into flesh.

Life flowed.

Ash lost himself.

* * *

Jo threw open Mary-Lynette's door, Alixia, James, and Poppy were right behind her.

She was panicking. How long had Ash been here? Did he have enough time to kill Mare? If so, what could they do? Will they have to hunt him down? All the while she was asking inside, she was cursing outside.

"Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn…"

How could they have been so stupid? All Jo asked from these two vampires was to watch the blonde scum, and they let him out? Escape, for that matter? He was in a coma for Christ's sake…

It was times like these Jo forgot the reasons they made an alliance. Apparently vampires—lamia or made, she didn't care—weren't all too keen on following directions. And it didn't matter that Ash had probably controlled Poppy, the little pixie should have known better than to link minds, and James should have known better than to let them.

Still, it was partially, but not quite, her fault too. She and Ally shouldn't have consulted their seniors after they dropped off Mary-Lynette. They should have gone straight back to Rm. 5 instead of lazing around and asking questions about dragon Power and amnesia. And even after that, they shouldn't have gone up to the fourth floor and gotten basic healing recipes (Jo was ardent on saying recipes as another word for spells).

The two ran into James and Poppy on the third floor, on their way back down. The vampires both looked calm enough, even though the news they delivered almost had Jo dropping a pot of Bay Leaves (brought only because of Ally's suggestion, it strengthens any healing spell if mixed with honey). And as Ally clutched the honey jar, all four of them ran without a word to Mare's room. It was the only obvious—or maybe not-so-obvious—place.

And now they could have been too late. Jo was imagining blood on the green covers, an innocent girl's neck severed by teeth no ordinary animal could obtain. She's seen it before, on missions. Stray vampires attacking anything with a pulse… and oh, _Isis, _the window was open. Ash could be anywhere by now…

James turned on the light.

Ash's blonde head bobbed into view. He was seated at the edge of the bed.

He turned only his head around, looked at them directly, put a finger to his lips, and pointed to the sleeping—Oh, _Feytona_, _unharmed—_girl under the covers. The stainless, pure green covers.

Jo was stuck between wanting to be furious or wanting to be relieved.

She picked furious.

"What are you _doing?_" Jo whispered it for Mare's sake. The girl was really sleeping; the rise and fall of the blanket assured that.

Ash for one looked incredibly at ease. "Sitting."

James stepped in front of Jo before she could raise her fist at him. "Ash, come here." His eyes darted between Ash, Mary-Lynette, and the open window, but the voice he used was nothing less than casual. "We can get you some more blood."

"I don't need anymore," Ash patted his stomach as he stood up, careful to not stir the bed. "I'm filled."

A low gasp. To her right, Jo saw Ally's more shocked than horrified expression. "You drank… from Mary-Lynette?"

James looked like he expected as much, Jo was as shocked as Ally—she was alive, right? That body on the bed was breathing, it couldn't be a corpse—and Poppy's color drained away.

"Oh, Ash, you didn't."

"Sorry Poppet. But I did."

He walked over to the window, and without hesitation, shut his only way to freedom.

A moment of silence.

Poppy was the first to break it. A small, unexpected smile tilted her lips, a hopeful glint in her eye. "Does this mean you're back?"

Ash raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure what that implies."

It was Poppy's turn to raise an eyebrow. "It _implies_—"

"_Woah_." Jo was choking softly on her own laughter, half past hysterical. "Hidden meanings and agendas, later." She demanded. All she wanted was to relax just a tiny bit. She didn't want any more close calls.

She took a deep breath, wiping her eyes a bit. "Ash. Back to your room. Now. And this time," she looked at Poppy and James, who both had the decency to look slightly ashamed, "we're all going."

* * *

Hannah checked the clock in Thierry's office. Five minutes 'till midnight. She wouldn't be able to check on Mary-Lynette any more, not with all that was going on here. She hoped the girl was okay.

"Lay Hannah," the Inner Circle's head, Mother Cybele, called to her "what should we discuss?"

"I beg your pardon?" Hannah came back to herself in a start. She almost forgot that she was in a tanned office chair in front of a granite desk, almost forgot that she was in a conference with the head of witches while Thierry received recent information from—Rashel, Hannah remembered, and her soulmate. Both of whom were trustworthy confidantes.

She almost forgot about the matters at hand.

"What do we discuss?" Mother Cybele patiently asked again, "We've confirmed that the last Wild Power is the Harman, and he and his two… friends are resting easy with the other Wild Powers."

"Okay."

"The wards have been secured and the electricity and fuel generators are intact."

"Good."

"So is there anything we're missing, Lady Hannah?"

She thought about it. "I don't think so, Mother."

Mother Cybele's wrinkles lightened when she smiled. "Good."

"Oh, one thing though," Hannah had heard a rumor going around in the hospital, "is there still going to be a conference tomorrow?"

"Well yes. It's scheduled. Tomorrow will be the day we make decisions that could very well affect the future."

How promising, Hannah thought. "Who'll be coming?"

"Well the Inner Circle of course, dear, and you and Lord Thierry and whoever guest you please."

Oh no. Another meeting. All Hannah ever seemed to do now was attend meetings. "Thank you, Mother, but who else is joining?"

"Why, the Seniors from the hospital are welcome, along with their apprentices. This is a matter that requires every witch's help."

"And exactly what matter are you speaking of?" The clock ticked twelve. Hannah slightly bit her lip.

"Any issue that needs fixing."

"Well, it's in the afternoon, right?"

"I believe so, Lady."

"Then you're right. We have nothing left to discuss." Hannah smiled at her. Mother Cybele's dumpling shaped body hunched over her chair and Hannah realized that even witches needed their rest. "Please tell the rest of the Circle to be comfortable. Your rooms in the Tower are made and ready."

Mother Cybele nodded, stood up, and covered Hannah's hands with her own. She smiled, and Hannah saw ages filled with happiness and power in those withered eyes.

"Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again."

Hannah responded the only way she knew how. Smiling, she said. "You too."

* * *

Lonan's wings carried him well over the poplar trees and, despite the omnipresent feel of the current scenario, the feeling of flying was comparable to no other. Free air splitting past him as he glided, winds guiding him easily through his route, and the overpowering sense of being on top of the world. Of being able to see everything.

He wasn't Lonan anymore; he was a bird of prey. A top notch on the food web. He wasn't the sniveling, sarcastic grunt of the widely accepted "good side" of the Night World, if there even was one. No; he was the natural, animalistic symbol of the night. He was the raven.

And he was flying as fast as he can, dodging the few branches high enough to act as an obstacle, making sure he kept sight of the girl below him. She was flying too, if only in another sense. Vampire speed was a tremendous thing.

Kestrel was jumping and running, sprinting through all the lone pieces of the forest. Those naturally limber legs moving at a speed even Lonan couldn't comprehend. She was ahead of him by a few yards.

But ahead of both of them was the edge of the forest, the town.

And Lonan could see—

_This isn't good._

—smoke. Gray puffs of sulfur gathering to form a newly made clump of ash, the lurid cloud streaming up and over-layering a chunk of the bluish-purplish sky. A cloud that dark had to come from a fire somewhere. And that somewhere seemed to come directly from Briar Creek.

Down below, Lonan was sure Kestrel could see it. Not to mention the smell of gasoline and melting wood and cement being a dead give-away.

_This is _not _good. _

* * *

Kestrel's legs couldn't carry her fast enough; her breath couldn't supply her well enough. But there was no alternative. All she could do was run.

But she wouldn't be running much longer. She could already see the town boundary. She could already hear the screams and shouts. And the crackling. If anything, Kestrel heard fire crackling. It sent a chill right to her very core.

Still she ran.

And somewhere to her left, behind her, Kestrel could feel the bursting panic of her sisters. They would meet soon enough.

A branch to duck from, a rock to the jump on, Kestrel passed them all.

_Kestrel? Kestrel—_

Smoke. The fuzzy tinges of chemicals burned Kestrel's hyperactive senses. She almost felt woozy…

A raven—Lonan—screeched from above and Kestrel went back to focusing on her speed.

A reddish, grayish glow loomed ahead. And it was getting closer. Kestrel was getting closer. Just a few more seconds… a few more feet to be sprinted…

Kestrel stopped dead.

She dropped to her knees.

_Kestrel? Kestrel!_

Why? Why would they do this? _How _did they do this?

"Kestrel." Lonan manifested behind her, breathless. His black polo shirt was damp from sweat.

"Kestrel."

She was speechless.

Lonan tried to get her up, but his knees were as shaky as hers. Before long, he collapsed next to her.

And together they sat, shoulder to shoulder. Watching as Briar Creek disappeared behind the column of flames.

* * *

"Just keep him in here this time, got it?"

Poppy's curls bounced as she shook her head. "We got it, Jo."

"You better." She looked at James, who nodded encouragingly back. On the outside, she gave a small smile, if you can call it that, but really, Jo could barely trust the two of them. Though what choice did she have? Now, if it weren't for the fact that Ally and her had to go, Jo would watch Ash herself. He was a darn good escape artist, she'd give him that.

But they had to leave, so with a few more exchanges and a wave goodbye, the two were off.

Ash wasn't the only patient here. There were others more in need and less obnoxious than the lamia who lost his memory. They'll get to him later.

Like the one they were going to right now. Minsi Alexis Moore. The fallen werewolf. Lady Hannah hadn't requested them exactly; she asked Thea Harman to handle it. But Minsi was one of their friends here. They could at least make a quick visit before saving other lives, right?

And after Ally checked the files, they found out that Minsi was stationed at Room 6, so Jo and Ally had to walk across the floor to the other wing. It wasn't too long; the whole hospital was built just like a high school. It wasn't as big as everybody thought it was.

So the two friends didn't talk all the way. They didn't need to. Silence was as comfortable to them as conversation. That was just how it worked.

But when they made it to the hallway, then to the door itself, Ally seemed to remember something.

"Oh, _crack._" Ally didn't really like cuss words unless they were needed, and Jo liked to make up funny substitutes for them. Hence, _crack. _"I forgot."

"What are you talking about?"

"I forgot that I have to be somewhere." Hazel eyes met hers in a frenzy; Ally was really worked up about this.

Jo's fingers rested on the doorknob. "Where exactly is somewhere?"

She clicked her tongue then turned around. "Somewhere, Jo. I'll be back."

"Wh—what?" The confused witch stood dumbfounded as the other witch raced towards the stairs, making a turn in front of the gold and blue shrine to Eos. "You can't just go!" Jo shouted "You haven't even said hi to Minsi yet!"

"Tell her for me!" came Ally's muted shout as Jo heard her steps hurrying up.

She must have spent three minutes just staring at the corner where Ally disappeared, wishing she could race up the stairs and murder her best friend in cold blood.

"Ugh." Jo groaned. Now she had to face Minsi and Thea alone, and visiting at the dead of night—or crack of dawn since it was past midnight already—was Ally's idea in the first place.

That ditcher.

She opened the door.

* * *

"All right Ash, what's the deal?" Poppy kept concentrated eyes on the blonde as Ally re-wired him to the monitors. He looked comfortable, at ease even, sitting there on the bed. Poppy was leaning on a counter, arms folded, chest heaving from stored up—frustration? Excitement? Maybe it was just giddiness. James was by the door.

"What do you mean by that?"

Oh _please._ "You know what I mean, Ash."

He didn't answer. Poppy rolled her eyes.

"Why didn't you kill her?"

"I hate stereotypes." Ash said.

Poppy sighed and almost pouted. She said, "Nobody likes a liar, Ash," a second before James resolutely exclaimed, "Don't talk to him Poppy."

This time, Ash chuckled. "What is it, Rasmussen? You don't trust me now?"

James didn't waver in his steadfast gaze, but Poppy heard the hesitation in his voice as he broke his own order. "How could I? You're Ash Redfern."

"That's a complement if I've ever heard one, Jamesy." He smiled.

James turned away, not wanting to hear anything else.

Poppy, on the other hand, was curious all the more. What she had to ask all came out in a rush.

"You needed blood didn't you? Well, you could have helped yourself. Mary-Lynette was all yours for more than fifteen minutes, and that's a lot of time to feed, and even more time to kill. But you didn't. Why?"

Ash just stared at her blankly. Poppy wouldn't be surprised if all she just said went in one ear and out the other.

"I have reasons," was all he said, settling back down on a pillow.

Reasons? _Puh_lease.

"No Ash, you had one reason. _Just one reason._ And if you could just remember, you'd know what that was."

Ash's eyebrows rose questioningly. Poppy persisted; slightly surprised that James hadn't stopped her yet.

"You know what it is, and you know that you know. You're just too… _stupid_ to see it. Or too scared."

"You'd better watch it Poppet."

Looks like she struck a nerve.

Still lying down on the bed, stuck with limited movements because Ally re-hooked him to the monitor, Ash looked sour. He sucked in a breath and opened his mouth as if to say something more, but the air puffed back out as he exhaled.

He said, with an exasperated voice and murky, bloodshot blue eyes, "I'm in a hospital with an apparent memory loss. I'm tired. Do you two mind?"

From the doorway, James put in simply, "We do." Poppy nodded.

Ash shook his head. "Fine," he thumped back against the pillow and shut his dark brown eyes tight. "'Nite."

"I still don't understand."

"Good night Poppy."

"But Ash—"

"Good night."

"Poppy," James was trying not to smile, "let him sleep. He'll admit it later."

A pale green eye opened. "No I won't."

Poppy turned the lights off, she and James not planning on resting one bit.

* * *

Ash feigned sleep as easily as he could rig a poker game.

He was thinking—dreaming. For lack of a better word, of course.

Thoughts and memories and feelings jumbled up inside of him, trying to sort themselves out in a way that that damaged head of his could comprehend.

The Apocalypse. That one was easy. Ash could accept its existence, as well as the disturbing facts that came with it. The world was going to end—so? Didn't everybody suspect that anyway?

But then again, everybody expected the whole of Night World to stay united in the purpose of obliterating the human race. _Everybody _expected that. Or at least Ash did, a year ago. And now, he wakes up in a coma—with nothing more than distant memories—and gets told that Hunter Redfern's dead, he was attacked by a Dragon—which were revived. Ain't that lovely?—and he's missing a year in his memory storage. That means he's what? Eighteen now?

And the most surprising thing of all. He was fighting _for _the humans. Not against, _for_. As in for the protection of.

Surprising.

Drifting off into that ethereal state between waking and sleeping, Ash breathed out a soft sigh he knew Poppy and James would hear.

They didn't trust him. They shouldn't.

He'll be free soon enough.

But first…

Poppy was right on one point, Ash _did_ keep Mary-Lynette alive for a reason.

When he drank from her… it wasn't like the rest. There was… something else. Something that made mind linking with the girl more… intimate? Something that made Ash feel…

He almost groaned out loud. Which would have ruined the whole sleeping facade.

Still, it was irritating. Like knowing you forgot something important, but had nothing but your gut to prove it.

Ash knew he was missing something. A piece of the puzzle. And knowing that was almost as frustrating as losing his memory.

He had to get to know her.

He gave up his freedom to do just that.

But to what reason _Poppy _was referring to, Ash had no idea.

Besides, vermin or not, the girl had delicious blood. It reminded Ash of the taste of ripe blueberries and grapes. Almost like wine… sort of like ambrosia. Ash had to restrain himself from taking too much. He only took what was necessary, fighting to not make much mind contact—no matter how much he wanted to. Just to figure some things out—before lulling her to sleep.

And now he couldn't stop thinking about her.

Maybe he _should _have killed her. He'd be sleeping with a respiratory system filled with red blood cells instead of a head full of accusations and queries that lead him to question his own sanity.

Another restrained groan, released instead as a soft sigh. Ash turned to his side before making himself comfortable on the thinly sheeted mattress.

Would he really risk his freedom for a girl? Was he really that stupid?

Of course not. He was Ash Redfern.

And the next morning, he'd play his role correctly. No more messing up because of an identity relapse and some... soulmate crap. He'd be Ash again. He'd get his own answers. He'd think of another escape plan and follow it through.

Screw the missing piece of the puzzle. Screw the mystery that burned to be resolved.

Screw the girl with blue eyes.

With that thought etched to his memory, Ash finally drifted to sleep.

And yet despite all his resolution, all that determination, Ash fell asleep dreaming. Want to know about what? Want to know the subject that occupied his dormant mind for the whole of eight hours? Why yes—yes, you guessed it. Good for you.

Ash dreamt about the girl with piercing blue eyes.

Though he'd never admit to _that_ in the morning. Not even to himself.

Not on his life.

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_Hmmm… looks like Ash is in deniiiiiiaaaaaaaaaal. _ *shakes head* pity.

8]

So this was shorter than I expected, and not as good as I wanted it to be (I _hated _switching through so many POV's. Nearly gave me a frikin headache) :(… but I am sooo glad I finally updated. I mean, it's the Holidays, (Merry Xmas/Happy Chanukah/or Kwanza & a Happy New Years peeps!!!) and i wanted to finish this chapter. I miss getting REVIEWS… :{ *hint*hint*

**JEZ AND MORGY** will be updated a.s.a.p. (yes another one!!!) and I may or may not post **A thing called Vengeance **for Dark Visions… Plus, I think I hav some ideas for other books… like Vamp Diaries/Secret Circle fics =)… or maybe one for other series'… or some more fics for Night World… so many decisions…

I still like writing stories though =} it's like a hobby *cough***obsession***cough*cough* so no worries. But there is a thing called school… and grade point average… 8[

See ya guyz soon!!!!! (… hopefully… cross your fingers for me, will ya?)

XD

_**XOXO- panini999**_


	19. Author's Note :IMPORTANT:

**_Disclaimer: I hate these as much as you do,and I apologize for getting your hopes up (next chapter coming up a.s.a.p.== tomorrow most likely :P) but this is _IMPORTANT**

* * *

**_Author's Note:_**

**I hate this. I hate this soooooo much. *-starts to whack my laptop (my _baby_) with a baseball bat-* ....**

**Maybe I should explain...**

**You see-somehow, someway-Chap. 12 was replaced with Chap. 11, or whatever the hell the chapter number is. If you noticed, that's great, if not, have a look-see. They're the same. **

**The SAME. **

**So... what can I do about that? Any suggestions? Because I only see two options.**

Option 1)** I say, "to hell with it" and just let it go, because is it really a big deal? **

**Yes, actually, it is. But I guess i couold sum it all up in a few:**

**That was the chapter that had Jade looking for Tiggy, and then finding Mark, and then finding Lonan's supposed "corpse". **

**And then it had Mare's part in it, which had her riding on werewolves, going to the base and learning that it was placed on , and meeting Conner's/Minsi's 'wolve team: Nathaniel "Nat" Hemmings (Jeremy look-a-like) and feeling some sort of confused attraction/disgust towards him, Imani Lyall (the other girl werewolf on the team, besides Minsi. Has dark skin, french braids, and orange/amber eyes) and Zeff Marrok (likes wearing black and white, has black hair w/ a white streak) **

**And... um... I think it has Jo's part in it that shows her with her priceless Hecate bag (blue satin with a triple picture of Hecate torso-up, each figure connected through the arms and holding either a key, a snake, or a torch) and trying to heal Ash up with her stonecharmer magic. **

**I think that's all the major parts... Unless you remember any others (which i am hoping to God you do :oooo) If you do remember plz REVIEW them to me. **

Option 2) **I'll have to rewrite the chapter, which is bad. Because I _can't. _I can't rememeber all the parts of the chap. Sorry for that...**

**And I didn't say this before, but I do see one other option. **

Option 3) **I stop the story? **

**Maybe I'm exagerating on that last one. I probably am...**

**Please REVIEW here. I'm really... miffed right now... and it's the middle of the night too. 0_o**

***-puts down the baseball bat and stares at the computer-*... well damn...**


	20. Chapter 18

_**Disclaimer**__** No ownership.**_

**I guess it's obvious that I didn't stop the story. :} As it turns out, I'm just going to **_**try **_**to retype that chapter I was talking about. In my spare time (if I **_**have**_** spare time :P) so I'm going to keep working on current chapters. **

**Which brings me to: Enjoy this chapter! XD Talk to you at A/N**

* * *

**Chapter 18**

* * *

Ash woke up to the sound of a door opening.

Air wafted in, he felt his hair give a little sway, and dim morning sunlight painted the insides of his eyelids a rosy pink. There was no creak from the hinges however, the door was well oiled. But Ash could easily hear the new, light scuffling on the floor.

Whoever they were, they were wearing slippers.

Like they just came out of bed.

"How is he, James?"

Ash involuntarily cringed at the voice, hoping to God it wasn't too noticeable.

"Not sleeping that's for sure."

Wow. Now he knew why he wasn't religious.

Doing what he can to avoid an uncomfortable silence, Ash propped himself up on his elbows, knowing full-well how rumpled his hair must be and how dark his eyes are.

"Don't get your panties in a twist," he looked at James, squinting (though every vampire knew how useless _that_ action was). Then he squinted at Mary-Lynette, assessing her starry pajamas and choosing to pretend that he didn't see the faint glow in her cheeks. And also pretending—_refusing _to think that he had the same glow on his. "What?"

She looked sheepish, suddenly mesmerized with her moon-shaped, fuzzy slippers. "I just thought that I should see how you were."

Ash didn't make the mistake of feeling like an insensitive ass. Instead, he promptly said, "Well, I'm _great. _Just peachy. Thanks for dropping by."

She mumbled something. Ash only caught _"wish"_ and _"kicking" _and _"shin"._

He had no idea what that meant. Probably nothing_. _He _did _ascertain that she was crazy last night…

Mary-Lynette glared at him, said—politely—thanks to James, glared at him once more, and then made a grand exit, slamming the door hard enough for Ash to feel the bed railing quiver.

He waited until the last bar stopped vibrating, and then he let out a breath.

"What's her problem?"

James gave him a sideways glance. "What's yours?"

"From what that witch said, plus the fact that I don't remember anything, I'm thinking amnesia." He gave a blank stare and James dropped whatever he was going to say next, as Ash knew he would.

"Where's your little Poppy, anyway?" he yawned out, "wasn't she supposed to guard me with you?"

"She went out."

"Uh huh…" Ash yawned again, "and what are you going to do for the day?"

James's lips twitched. "Babysitting."

"I don't think that's fair." He stated, crisscrossing his ankles under the comforter, "I'm far more entertaining than a baby."

"You're as loud as one," James consented. Ash flashed him a mocking smile.

"I'm starting to like you, Rasmussen."

"Wish I could say the same."

Ash didn't mind, he already chose not to care. He pulled up the covers and yawned once more, "I'll see you at noon."

* * *

That _jerk_.

Mary-Lynette stuffed her used clothes in the hamper the room provided (what _didn't _they provide?) and ran another hand down her damp, newly-showered hair. She had changed from her pajamas, into a simple white blouse and black jeans, along with her grungy sneakers on her feet and favorite black jacket giving her comforting warmth. And then a dark, bluish-black headband for her hair.

Today, she was going to a funeral.

Hannah had arranged it all, according to the telephone call that woke her up, Mary-Lynette was to meet someone by the hospital entrance, someone Hannah said she trusted immensely. Mare couldn't say no to that.

A knock on the door.

"Come in!" Mary-Lynette called, zipping up her backpack and slinging it across her shoulders.

A nurse popped her head in, smiling politely. "Miss Lupe is here, Miss Lynette."

I don't know who that is, Mare thought, but sure, why not? "I'll be out in a bit, thank you."

The nurse nodded her cropped, honey-colored hair and exited, and a nervous Mary-Lynette followed soon after.

It was a new day.

* * *

Mare absent-mindedly patted the cell phone in her front pocket. Jo and Ally had both promised that they would call once they got a lead on what happened to Ash.

I wonder how he's doing…

"And they aren't that _bad_. I mean, I know how hard it must be for the witches, and I know that they have good reasons, but _still…. _Mary-Lynette?"

"Hm? I'm sorry, um…"

"Lupe."

"Right. Right." Mare mumbled, feeling unbelievably pathetic. "Sorry."

Lupe smiled. She tried to smile back. Lupe was a pretty girl, with luster-filled, silvery brown hair. Her eyes, the eyes that prompted Mare to guess what she was, were a burnished shade of orange. Like Imani's.

Right now, they were looking at her. Intently.

"You okay?"

"Yes." Mary-Lynette said. "Just sort of… spaced out there."

"I see." Mare almost blushed at the girls' smirk. "Well," she continued, "I uh, was just saying that I didn't know why they don't allow car usage in here. The distance between the buildings would just _fly _by."

Mary-Lynette nodded meekly and floundered in her head, trying to find a way to keep the conversation going, "So, they only use… bikes and scooters then?"

"And mopeds and motorcycles and tricycles and good-ol'-fashioned walking. That's about right. It's something about… excess gas excretion and ruining the foliage." Lupe threw up her hands, "I like nature—I'm a werewolf for Goddess's sake, but cars? Woo," she whistled, "I love the rush."

Mary-Lynette had to smile. Lupe was talkative, refreshingly so, Mare was desperate for a normal conversation. Never mind the fact that the girl beside her was a werewolf, or the fact that they were making their way in an invulnerable bubble in the middle of Nevada, one that was an almost exact copy of Central Park (which, by the way, Mary-Lynette always wanted to go to. It was said to be the only place in New York to get decent star-sightings). The only differences were the building locations really, especially that tall pointy one in the very middle of it all, ("the Tower" from what Lupe, Hannah, and Thierry had said, Mare thought it looked like Seattle's _Space Needle_), the center piece of the area—the very place they were headed to right now.

Lupe was smiling, looking around, and enjoying the peaceful landscape and morning just as much as Mary-Lynette.

"So, how about you?"

"Huh?" Mare asked, flushing for the second time of being caught off guard, "What about me?"

"What about _you,_" she said, "What do you like?"

"Oh, well," Mary-Lynette chewed on her lip a little. "I like space. You know, Astronomy."

Lupe laughed. "I know _that_. Ash always said that."

"He talked about me?"

"Oh, _yeah_," she exaggerated the word, making Mare laugh and blush at the same time, "a lot. Quinn and Nilsson were usually the ones that got stuck with shutting him up."

Again, Mare laughed. She could imagine Ash ticking everyone off easy.

"I mean, he didn't talk too much." Lupe got out after chortling. "Um, he was sort of always… bummed out whenever he did. No matter how many times he brushed it off, there was always something underneath that just made most of us want to cheer him up, you know?" She kicked a sitting pebble with her toe; Mary-Lynette was looking intently at a pink-leafed tree. "You never had to be a mind reading vampire to figure that out."

_Switch the subject. Switch the subject._ "What are we going to do at the Tower?"

Thankfully, Lupe responded. "The basics: Pick up Lady Hannah and Lord Thierry, then hitch a ride."

"To…?"

"The cemetery. In the free grounds."

They followed the clean paved walkway around a corner, and then from straight on after that, Lupe said, was the Tower. They've been walking for twenty minutes now, and yet, Mare hadn't seen one other pass them (much like the night before). She asked Lupe that, and the amber eyed girl had replied in total casualness:

"Things are… pretty tight right now." She placed one of her tanned hands on her head, the other in a jean pocket. "Now, everyone's doing something. Training for missions, enhancing Powers, researching for anything that will help... later on. Or just making sure everything runs smoothly—here or around the world." She clicked her tongue. "It's very hectic."

"Sounds like it."

Lupe chuckled. "Yup. Lamia, made vampires, witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, humans—we're all getting ready. And it's odd, but each—race? I guess, yeah—each race has its work cut out for them. Vampires—lamia or made, doesn't matter—are killer in researching, them and some 'techie' witches and humans are the majority in the Center."

"What about werewolves and shapeshifters?" Though Mare could already see the gleam of the Tower sides, she wanted to prolong the conversation for just a while, "Aren't they researching too?"

"Yeah, but, probably only one out five of them are." Lupe pursed her lips. "Shapeshifters are usually chosen for sabotage missions, or outside scouts, to look for any recruits. It's because of how easily they could pass for plain animals—unless they wear a lily emblem, that is," Vaguely, Mary-Lynette remembered Lonan's wristband. "Werewolves? We aren't exactly the kind to sit on our butts all day when there's tons of running space out here. We're usually the guards, running perimeter. The muscle." She smiled. "It may be a stereotype, but we've learned to accept it. Some actually enjoy it."

She scratched the nub of her nose and met Mary-Lynette's eyes, getting the hint that she was supposed to continue. She cleared her throat almost dramatically.

"Humans are free souls, doing what they will, so they have no category really—they could be whatever they want, we're in America after all—Vegas, if you count the nearest city, to be specific. They can be recruited for missions, chosen for surveillance, security, doctors, maybe spies for espionages—whatever!"She threw up her hands, nudging Mare's shoulder with hers before clearing her throat again. "Although, most are just continuing their education in the City—high school and college, or they could just get a job. Trying to be normal by day and then working with the abnormal by night."

She sighed. "Um, okay, let's see…" Lupe tapped her chin, Mary-Lynette patiently waiting. "Witches are multitaskers. They do just about everything here. And… I guess that's that. Look!" She pointed. "Lady Hannah's waiting inside, let's go!"

Mary-Lynette watched as the girl jogged away the last paces to Hannah, who was waving and visible behind a circular, transparent wall.

She breathed in some clean oxygen, waved once, smiled, and jogged over.

Her phone was still heavy in her pocket.

She never did stop thinking about him.

* * *

Minsi was just fine, to which Jo was grateful. She was a ¾ of an inch away from being paralyzed all over. The lucky werewolf got away with a minor concussion and a few stitches.

Jo had opened the door to see Thea bending over Minsi, finishing up with the gauze bandages and needle. Jo had greeted her, "Unity," as always, and had stayed and chatted like a good friend, laughing when Minsi blushed when she had mentioned Conner.

"He's somewhere in the waiting room." She had said, "I swear, Minsi, that dude is more like a golden retriever than a wolf."

Her caramel skin turned a burnished orange, flushed, and tried to change the subject. "Where's Ally?"

"Ally ditched." A smirk tugged on Jo's lips and with obvious sarcasm and exasperation said, "She doesn't love you as much as I do."

"Eww." Minsi punched her on the shoulder. "Shut up."

Jo smiled then looked at the clock. "But apparently, I don't love you enough stay for more than an hour." She got up from the funky orange bean bag chair she'd been sitting on (the hospital had some kickin' style) and wiggled her fingers. "Got to get some sleep, I'm sort of freaking tired." She yawned before she looked at Thea behind her, sitting on the countertop, watching with a small smile. Jo nodded. "Thanks for bandaging her up o' Great Harman."

She laughed. "My pleasure, Quartz."

On the railing bed—doomed to stay there for the next two-to-three weeks—Minsi pouted and scowled. "Fine, leave me you jerk."

"You have Thea," Jo's hand was already on the doorknob, "And I'm sure Conner will barrel in here as soon as he gets word that you're conscious—"

She opened the door.

"—which I'm guessing is right now."

Conner stood there, a little sweaty from running down to the floor, black hair falling into his eyes. "Hey Jo."

"Hello Conner," he was a good guy, Jo had known him as long as she's known Minsi. She had no objections with him, "how's it hanging?"

"Good, good." Behind, Jo heard Minsi giggle.

"Well, then." Jo shifted to let Connor in, biting her lip from smiling in the awkward silence, "I better get going. See ya Min,"

She didn't stay long enough for the girl to reply. She just sent a _"good luck" _look to Thea, and, after checking on Ash via texting Poppy, was off to her nurse room.

It was too bad she wasn't going to sleep, she really was tired.

No, Jo had spent the remaining hours of dusk doing some researching of her own.

* * *

It was morning now, and Jo was sure that she looked awful.

Staying up and working all night did that to you.

Light beams of morning sun streamed through her open blinds, warming the witch up. Jo could imagine a breeze stirring the leaves of a nearby tree. Her window faced the garden, and she knew that the day-time flowers were beginning to bloom all kinds of colors. From pink and yellow, to blue and purple and white. She wasn't as obsessed about plants as her best friend, but Ally did rub off on Jo from time to time. She liked taking walks out there, in the new days' wake, to clear her mind. It was like a warm-up practice before she started her day.

But not today.

For the past three hours, Jo had been alternating between staring up at her ceiling and staring at her laptop screen.

She blinked once, and then another time, rubbing her eyes. She looked about her room to give her eyes a rest. They deserved it.

Jo had never minded the small room, not since she came to this base four years ago. She was actually happy that she got to customize it.

She looked at the light purple walls, at the mini flat screen TV resting on top of a stool. She had a drawer for her clothes, and a bureau for her beloved rocks. And like any given teenager, she had a desk for her homework assignments and a laptop for independent purposes. _Unlike_ any given teenager, her homework usually consisted of either A) saving and or helping the recovery of a patient, or B) creating spells and practicing them for the exams and or life threatening missions.

She rolled her neck and cracked her fingers, mentally promising herself to hog that massaging recliner in the Tower's lodge next time. Jo licked her lips, feeling how dry they were, and thought about the breakfast the hospital must be serving. A good old, International meal. With bacon and eggs and sushi and biscuits and hot chocolate and even wienerschnitzels from Germany.

Her stomach growled. Jo turned back to her laptop.

Nothing. There was not a damn thing on this piece of junk—which was saying something because that piece of junk was her _baby—_that had anything to do with dragons and memories and amnesia. Nothing new about the Apocalypse in the base's secured (_highly _secured, as in trained—she'd want to say geeks, but…—techies guarding it 24/7) intel. The datas were the same. No new prophecies, new evidence, new anything. Nothing she could work with.

Still, she attacked the keyboards, furiously clicking away.

She could smell the pan-fried, home-styled omelet from her room.

* * *

"You mean we have to eat _rodents_?"

Poppy bounced her curls with her hand. "We have deer."

"What's the difference?" Ash grimaced. "They both taste like dried leaves to me."

"Stop complaining already, you sissy. Geez." Poppy said, her arms swinging as she walked—excuse Ash, _skipped_ on the pavement.

"You were just complaining, Poppet. That's hypocritical."

She stuck out her tongue. "_You're_ impossible."

"I've always took that as a compliment." He retorted. The sun was in his eyes, and though he was stubborn and terribly good at breaking stereotypes, that blinding ball of fire was getting on his nerves. So was the little red-head beside him. "Think of a new insult."

"Cut it out, Ash." James glanced behind his shoulder, amused despite himself.

"Sure, blame me, because _I'm_ the immature one."

Poppy stuck out her tongue again. "Got that right."

Ash grumbled. The other two pretended not to notice.

Hand above his eyes, Ash looked around. They were on a walkway of some kind, like one of those trails in a neighborhood park. It was a paved winding one, with occasional benches and those—can you believe it?—old fashioned gas lights. Clearly, these—Daybreakers, was it?—were completely out of date. Plants and flowers of all kind were sectioned or randomly placed behind the edges on heavily fertilized, dirty, well, dirt. Behind those were trees. Trees he didn't even bother to name.

They looked like pretty heavy vegetation. Good enough for cover if he ever needed it.

Which he undoubtedly will.

That's right, Ash's plan hadn't changed. He was getting out of here.

But whether it be sooner or later was out of his hands entirely. He could pick up something interesting from this place after all… information, perhaps. Or money, or whatever. Maybe some extra blood. Real blood. Blood that tasted like… like…

Like blueberries and wine?

As a matter of fact, he knew _exactly_ where to get that.

He laughed loudly and Poppy raised an eyebrow at him. James turned back.

"Are you getting delirious, Ash?"

Yes. Yes I am. Ash scowled. "It's just the damned sun. Can I borrow your sunglasses?"

Without a word, James reached up, took off his Mirrorshaded Aviators, and tossed them to Ash, who cleanly caught them by the arms. Not leaving one fingerprint on the lenses.

Ash put them on and sighed in relief as the urge to rub his eyes gradually faded. Last time he checked, his irises were plain blue. And he was wearing a long-sleeved black collared shirt he didn't know he had. It was brought in by a nurse on account from Lord Thierry—the old caveman was calling the shots now, apparently—along with a pair of jeans he's never seen, yet fit him exactly.

He knew he was going to have to get used to the lost memory thing. But at least he also knew that he looked good.

Ash's mouth broke into a smirk.

"I suppose 'thanks' are necessary?"

James shrugged as he turned. "Wasn't expecting one."

"Good. Because that wasn't an offer."

Beside him, Ash could feel Poppy rolling her eyes.

"Boys," she muttered.

Walking the rest of the way in a steady silence and pace, Ash couldn't help but realize that his breathing was actually… relaxed. There was no feel of danger. No need to be as wary as he should be in the world. And looking around, seeing a lone witch with a dahlia hairpin walk by with a soft "hi" and smile, Ash decided that it was a different kind of serenity. Different from the stiff and regulated peacefulness his vampire enclave had had. It had a feel to it. Of being part of something.

It was like belonging.

Idly, Ash wondered why that was.

He didn't have much time though; because a little after he saw a werewolf—he had to be a werewolf, that or a shapeshifting _bear_—pass with a satisfied expression and a protruding stomach, his sensitive nose caught something in the wind.

He wrinkled and scrunched up his face. "Smells like veggie burgers."

"You'll learn to live with it." James said.

"Welcome to the Safari." Poppy lilted.

Ash craned his neck, then lifted the sunglasses to see better.

"That's a shed."

It seemed like a trailer, except it looked like it was flattened at the sides to make it longer and thinner.

James said, "It's like a ticket booth. They need one."

"Why?"

Poppy answered. "To keep track of who went in and out."

Hm. "Someone in there?"

"Yes. Usually one or two people."

"Are they human?"

"Most of the time."

"Can I kill them?"

James flicked him a look.

"Behave." Poppy chided.

They approached the shed, and James opened the iron door.

Ash raised an eyebrow.

Inside, there was a side counter, stretching to and fro the length of the wall. The other side had a bench and a futon plant. That was it.

Well, except for the man behind the counter. From the way Ash's gums gave a slight tremor, he was definitely human.

He was reading the newspaper with his feet up the counter. Only when the door made a_ clank _sound as it closed behind Ash did he fold the paper—it was June 9th—and give each of them a ticket. Then he explained to Ash (on James's repeated request) how he was going to place a stamp on it on their way out. He also explained how the game size and type can range from deer to common sloths to bears, and how the terrain varied and how the area of the Safari encompassed the rest of the space. The fence on each side of the shed ranging from where they were standing, to the border line that separated the base from the—Spring Mountains National Park, Ash heard.

Spring Mountains… that meant they were just west of Vegas.

Poppy thanked him, excusing them all from having to listen to how hard to keep track of all the animals were in such a _big_ place, and opened the door that led out.

Ash inhaled the sharp scent of wilderness.

Here, big poplar trees were scattered around an immense valley, with untamed outgrowths and exposed roots and boulders and soil and just plain wildlife. There was no trail, no sense of order.

Somewhere, up in a tree, Ash could hear something nibbling on a leaf. He sniffed.

A mongoose. On the branch of the tree to his right. A few spaces down, a forest antelope was grazing on some weeds behind a massive tree root, further down he could hear small, multiple thuds in a rhythmic march. An anthill. And somewhere near that was an antelope.

Despite knowing how awful their blood would taste in comparison, Ash liked it.

Poppy noticed his change of attitude. "It's not so bad, huh?" she asked.

Ash refused to make eye contact. "It would be better if I got to kill the operator."

"Lay off," James's voice had the serious undertone Ash just loathed, "humans make a lot of Circle Daybreak population. We're with them now."

"Rasmussen—"

"Whether you like it or not, Ash." He, surprisingly, smiled, "You can't fight fate forever. I know. I tried."

Ash scoffed, and crouched. He stalked over a few paces, waiting for the antelope to get into his sight.

He crouched deeper, but before Ash took off after his prey, he gave James a disapproving shake of the head.

"And I was just starting to like you."

* * *

"_My milkshakes bring all the boys to the yard, they're like, it's better than yours. They're like—"_

Jo laughed a little. Her iPod was blasting and her laptop was running and she was face down on her bed. As the song reached its next chorus, she rolled on her back, spread-eagled style, and blinked a few times. She was surprised to find that bright yellow sunshine still shone in her face. It was still early.

Maybe I could get some doughnuts…

She made an effort to get to her feet, both her legs were asleep, and she wobbled ungracefully towards her iPod dock to switch it off. Then she wobbled to her desk, where her laptop was, and stared at the last website article she checked.

_**Apocalyptic Serpents**_

"_Human fears of powerful forces were crystallized in visions of huge and terrifying monsters. Serpents and dragons were composite images of everything that was inhuman: scales, claws, and wings. As emblems of chaos, these monsters could exhibit powers ranging from flying to transformations to fatal mind control..."_

It went on from there, but there was nothing of complete use. The site was probably created by some gaming nerd anyway. The information may not be legit.

There was nothing concerning memory at the least.

Jo scrolled down the page. Still nothing. Just names a bunch of dragons that probably didn't even exist.

She shut down her desktop, closed her laptop, and just stretched for a good five minutes, trying to slap her legs out of that pin-and-needle feel.

Arching up her back and wiggling her recovering legs, Jo let out a breath. "Sweet fried dough, here I come."

She brushed at her hair with her hands, and looked down at herself in the clothes she changed into last night—her "I love puppies" shirt and "Happy Bunny" sweats—because really, her leather jacket was getting heavy, so it just hung there—along with the rest of her used clothes—on the back of her chair. She was too lazy to get up, walk a couple steps, and drop them all in the hamper.

Jo shrugged, not really caring whether or not people saw her in her PJ's—because really, they were some kick-ass PJ's—and made her way to the door.

It would just be her luck that her phone rang before she made it out.

Choking down some curses, she turned back, stomped to her desk, and found her cell phone under some post-its.

She checked the caller I.D.

"What?"

"You're cranky. Did you just wake up?"

"No, I pulled an all-nighter." She opened her drawer, thinking that if she was going to spend some more time here, she might as well change. She took off her PJ's, balancing her phone on her shoulder. "What do you want Clarke?"

"All right Quartz, God." Delilah Clarke. She was a spellcaster. "You know that meeting you asked me to check out? The one Ally kept a secret?"

"Yeah?" Jo picked up a black shirt with a purple flower with her teeth. She put it on after she put her phone on speaker and set it on her drawer. "What about it?"

"I found out where it is."

"Really?" she asked, unsurprised—there was a reason she liked Delilah. She opened up another drawer and chose a random pair of jeans. "Where?"

A pause in the other end. When she buttoned her jeans, Jo picked up her phone. "Lilah?"

"Just meet me at the cemetery." The line clicked closed.

Jo bit the inside of her cheek then grabbed her leather jacket from the chair, stuffing in her cell phone and jamming in her iPod. Looks like she was going to skip breakfast today after all.

She shook her head and patted her protesting stomach.

"Well damn."

* * *

_**Author's Note: **_**To be completely honest, I'm a bit disappointed in this chapter. :{ not that exciting, huh? **

**BUT, I have to get the wheels turning somehow. Every book (or fanfic :P) has to have some dull pages. So I'm hoping you understand and don't want to kill me right now. *-fingers my baseball bat just in case-* I'll try to place in a few OMG moments next time (sorry for that Thea47, **_**next **_**chapter will have drama :P)**

**On a brighter note, I updated earlier than usual. :) HOORAY FOR ME!!!! **

***-ahem-* And one last thing, I've got upcoming stories on all kinds of things (Dark Visions, Vamp Diaries, Bones, PJO, and others), so watch out! And I did write a new one maybe a week ago called ****"Cliché"****, a oneshot Jez/Morgead fic (Special thx to****Jynxii ****for being the ONLY Reviewer) Actually, it started out as a "New Years" moment for Days to Remember though obviously, I haven;t updated that. ={**

**Oh, and more special thx to ****Lilminnie ****for being Moonlit Mist's ****300****th**** REVIEWER****!!!!!**

**Cogratz. XD Hope to see you soon, and your REVIEWS sooner. **

**P.S. Any people who want me as a Beta Reader? The Fox Queen was the first to request me and for that, I owe her an advertisement. :) Her story: Firefox Apocalytic is on my Fave Stories list. As well as The Death of Fanfiction by Theia47, which I am in (well not yet, but i'm mentioned in the first chap. ;}) *-cue girly squeal-* **

**Check them out if you have time, and if you love me enough to. And you and I both know you do.**

**XD**

**(P.S.S. That was a long A/N... if you read all of that you deserve a cookie. With sprinkles.)**

_**XOXO- panini999**_


	21. Chapter 19

_**Disclaimer**__** No ownership.**_

**Wow... March 15? That means 3 days from a two-month anniversary of no updates!!!!!!!!!!! Aren't you homocidal? Don't you just wanna pin me to one of those medieval stretchy things and go to sleep with my screams as your lullaby? **

**Lol. Joking aside (i was JOKING) I really am sorry. Death threats (JOKING threats) have been piling up in my inbox XD **

**Advanced apology to **The Fox Queen**, because i kept telling her i'll be posting soon... that was about two weeks ago... o-O and i'll connect you as a beta in just a sec... I hope you haven't fired me... :P**

**That's it for up top. Read on to the the longest (14,654!!!!!!! Story alone!!!!) chap of my epic... **

* * *

**Chapter 19**** (or whatever)**

* * *

Jo met Lilah at the cemetery exactly 10 a.m.

Well actually, no. She was _at_ the cemetery at 10 a.m. But she didn't see Lilah anywhere.

"Hey," she said when her three-wheeled, Piaggo MP3 pulled up the curb. She parked and placed one foot off her faithful Italian—_Italian—_ride and onto the green grass, peering up hill. "Lilah?"

The cemetery was a typical graveyard, though Jo couldn't see it from where she was standing. There was a section of concrete stairs that led up to the entrance arch. From there, yeah, a regular graveyard with headstones and plaques and mourning families and bouquets of flowers. Usually black.

Looking around, Jo saw no one but a boy and his father walking the uphill stairs. She leaned back on her ride and waited for her friend's head to pop out from somewhere unexpected—Lilah would probably try to scare her again. Maybe by swooping in from a tree somewhere. That was usually how the girl got her kicks. Not that Jo disapproved when other people were the victims.

But in this scenario, she was miffed.

"Damn." She said, walking and shaking her head to begin the long—actually it wasn't too long, but who cared if she exaggerated?—trudge up the stairs.

She didn't have time for hide-and-seek. She had work to do.

Reaching the apex of the stairs, Jo glanced around. The father and his son were already kneeling at a plaque close by. The little boy was holding a bouquet of pinkish-white flowers. He was rubbing his eyes.

Keep walking, Jo told herself, just keep walking.

Her sneakers touched the start of the grass, and Jo kept on. She walked past ailsed of the already gone, she walked past the paths to the trees, she walked past the middle of the whole cemetery. She could already see the point (literally. The end of the cemetery was a point. Like a triangle) where it ended.

The wind was dying down, and Jo was reasoning with herself about how to budget the day's remaining time. It's been five minutes. She clicked her tongue. The leaves had stopped rustling, the grass stopped swaying. Everything was quiet. This was a far part of the base, so she only heard her charm bracelet _clank _and her own footsteps.

She looked behind the tombstones that she could, and she looked at the nearby trees and even up their branches. She walked for what seemed like forever, telling herself that the plaques were just stones with words. They didn't mean anything. Not to her at least.

Quiet birds sat atop trees, safe in their nests. Holes in occasional mounds of dirt could easily be blamed on rabbits or moles. Grasshoppers and huge, mutant-sized crickets and lizards were resting on the taller stalks of grass. Hell, Jo could see a caterpillar and a stream of ants crawl up a tree's roots.

But she couldn't see that damn Clarke.

Oh, Goddess… where _is _she?

Cupping her hands over her mouth, Jo yelled out, "Liiilaaah!"

One… two…

Sighing and muttering, Jo whipped out her earphones.

Whatever. I may as well listen to music on my way back.

Something wrapped around her leg.

She was heading down to the warm ground in a second. Enough time to mutter a "wha—?" and realize next exactly who it was.

She heard her hands land harmlessly on the soft—_thank Ceres_—grass and felt a hand—she was sure it was a hand—tighten on her ankle before pulling her back and behind a bush. Her arms fell beneath her and before long the front of her shirt was soaked in dew, and some tall pieces of grass were tickling her face. She didn't fight. Actually, she almost keeled over in laughter.

She was dragged for all of four seconds before the hand on her ankle disappeared.

She turned to face her abductor. Jo couldn't really say she was surprised.

"You're such a witch, Clarke." Curse Ally for making her guilty about excessive cursing.

Lilah winked, some dark bronze curls of hair getting in her eyes. "Morning to you too, Quartz."

Jo scoffed, still trying to swallow some laughs. "You couldn't just text me that you were behind a bush? I wasted like ten minutes calling you. Couldn't resist ambushing me, huh?"

Lilah blinked, her knee-ripped jeans wrinkling as she brushed some dirt off. She looked over Jo's shoulder and her own quickly, though it was pretty obvious no one would be able to see them from this angle.

Finally, she asked, "Was that supposed to be a pun?"

"You mean with the _bush _and am_bush _thing?" Jo cracked a smile. "Sort of."

"Yeah…" She clicked her tongue, briefly standing to continue surveying the otherwise quiet and abandoned scene. "Didn't work."

"Like you could come up with any better."

"I can, actually." She nodded for emphasis. "But not now. We have a meeting to am_bush_."

A little silence.

"…God. That did suck."

She smiled at Jo, showing freshly brushed and whitened teeth before peering back up the bush. "Exactly."

Jo laughed. Lilah was something else. Being a spellcaster, the girl was good with words—she was popular. Jo couldn't precisely remember when they'd met but she was sure it involved a lot of laughing.

She started to mirror Lilah's moves. Which meant getting off her soaked butt and stooping and acting like secret agents.

Lilah signaled 'coast clear' with a dramatic wave of her wrist, and they quietly scuffled to the next covers: a big headstone and a tree.

Jo sat with one knee up behind the stone—thinking: _R.I.P. _and _Hope you don't mind _to whoever's grave she was on—and shook her head at the tall, wiry girl hiding behind the oak tree. Lilah had her hand up in a gun position. Both of the girls were trying not to laugh.

Jo counted out the signal this time, ducking and rolling before jogging for the cover behind a bigger headstone, with Lilah close behind her.

Their knees disturbed the dirt, scraping up some dust when they slid against the ground at the same time. Jo's shoulder hit the headstone, and bursting into a small fit of giggles, she and Lilah shifted so their backs were to the cold gravel.

This wasn't productive at all, but still, Jo had to admit—she felt _really _less stiff and cranky now. Too bad her stomach still hated her.

"You hungry?"

"I already know you're a witch Lilah. You don't have to show off your damned psychic powers." Okay. Well. Maybe she still was cranky.

"I'm a _charm_ witch, remember smart-ass? I _do _have psychic abilities and I very much like to show off." She dug in her blue blouse pocket and took something out.

Quite frankly, Jo couldn't remember the last time she was so grateful to see a pack of gum.

Lilah shook her head as Jo licked her lips. "But this time, your stomach said it all."

"Here," Lilah gave the green pack to Jo before she had a chance to snatch it herself. "You need it more than I do."

"You can say that again."

"You need it more than I do," Lilah said without missing a beat.

Jo rolled her eyes, trying to break the stupid seal. "And I'm the smart-ass?"

She got the pack open with a quiet _snap_ of torn tape, and her fingers were choosing her first minty victim when Lilah's hand stopped her.

"Wait."

Aww…

"What? What's the deal?" Jo asked, looking around. She didn't know the emotion that was stirring in Lilah's olive-green eyes. It creeped her out. "What?"

When she continued looking at her, Jo laughed for a second, trying to lighten the mood. She freed her hand and shook the pack of gum. "What. This isn't poisonous is it?"

Lilah blinked and scowled at her, a rare sight to see, "No. Listen."

Jo strained her ears. "I don't hear anything."

"Maybe it's because you have earphones on, stupid."

"They're not playing, genius." Jo almost forgot she was wearing them. At least she knew her iPod was still with her. She was going to keep them on, but with the look Lilah threw at her, Jo reluctantly freed her ears.

"Fine. Now what."

"Now we both shut up."

For two whole minutes, all Jo heard was the breeze.

"Lilah—"

"Dammit, Jo. Shut up." Lilah scooted to the edge of the stone, peering out. "They're coming."

Something was squishing against the grass. Distant footsteps.

"Who's coming?"

Getting closer.

"Who else?"

The footsteps stopped. On hands and knees, Jo crept over to see what was happening.

She almost did a face-palm.

It was just Ally.

"Lilah, it's just—"

"Shh. She's not alone."

"Wha—?"

"_Shh._"

Jo looked. She hated it when other people were right.

She should have seen the movement behind that tree.

But she did see the hand flailing around though. And then she saw the arm that was connected to it. Then she saw the face.

"Clarke—"

"I know who it is, Quartz."

She crept closer to the stone, chin resting on the smooth feel of it. "Then excuse me for stating the obvious."

Christy Ann Redfern. The black-haired, olive-eyed, ridiculously exaggerating girl talking to Ally was none other than Delilah Clarke's twin.

Yes. Twin.

Jo took an automatic deep breath.

Okay… a little memory refreshment…

Lilah was adopted by Daybreak when her—their—mom died, and unlike Jo or Ally, always knew that she was a witch. Christy, on the other hand, was raised as a vampire by the father. A real lamia. A Redfern.

They never knew they were sisters. Not 'till Daybreak found Christy two years ago, in an underground club. Once they saw her, there really was no question. Other than the color of their hair and their personalities, the 'twin-ship' was unmistakable. It was like _Parent Trap_ revamped. Except this time, there was no tearful reunion. The two sisters have been tip-toeing around each other since they met.

And Jo never bothered asking about her. Not just because she knew it was a sore subject for Lilah—it was just that she really never cared.

But now she did.

She'd have to interrogate Lilah when this is over.

Ally's voice was barely audible. Jo had to crane her neck.

"—it's not going to happen."

"Yes," Christy had the silky voice of a vampire. She was trying to persuade Ally, "it _has _to happen. You have to _make it _happen."

Jo saw Ally shake her head. "I can't. Not yet."

Dammit. Can't what?

She looked at Lilah who shrugged an "_I don't get it either"_

"Alixia." The wind had picked up, and Christy's hair was a complete mess of tangles. She was smiling sweetly. It made her look more evil. "You and I both know this has to work. If you can't do it… well. We both know the repercussions."

Jo whistled as quietly as she could. "Aren't you proud?" she whispered, poking Lilah's head, "Your sister just used a big word."

Lilah slapped her finger away. "I'd be prouder if you shut up."

It wasn't a loud slap. But they were dealing with a vampire here.

Her dark curls whipped. Ally looked alarmed.

"What is it?"

Jo only caught a last glimpse before scurrying behind her cover. She could tell Lilah wanted so badly to say _"I told you so."_

Christy Ann was standing there, tall and pale and looking very much like a pin-pointing assassin. She resembled Lilah so much, with the frame and the features and the forest-green eyes. Jo had to constantly look at her friend's bronze curls beside her to be sure.

"Christy Ann." Ally was still waiting for an answer.

Jo was itching to see what was happening. But she couldn't peek without risking getting caught.

"It's nothing. Just the wind."

Lilah immediately covered Jo's mouth before she could say anything else.

"Look, Christy." Ally's voice. "I told you before: I'd get it done. And all you said was 'You'd better.' You never said there was a deadline."

"Then I'm telling you now. _Warning _you." Jo imagined Ally wringing her hands under Christy Ann's gaze. She heard Lilah mutter "_bitch_" and tried not to crack her knuckles. The wind was still steady. A cut leaf rolled by Jo's feet. Christy Ann's vamped voice minutely echoed through the cemetery.

"Am I supposed to thank you?" Way to go Ally. Stick it to her.

It took a while for a response. Like the girl was planning her sentence word for word. "I didn't have to warn you. I could have let you humiliate yourself, but I didn't. Remember. We're allies now."

Ally didn't say anything.

"The meeting with the Circ. is at sundown," Christy Ann continued, "they're expecting you in the same place. Debrief them. Don't say anything stupid and answer their questions. Don't slip about anything. And when you're done—"

"I know, okay? I know."

"Good."

Ally didn't respond.

"Get it done, Salud. You'll be sorry if you don't."

Two… three seconds in silence. And then…

Footsteps leaving.

Jo counted to five before silently moving Lilah's hand away from her dry lips. She inched towards the edge. She squinted.

Christy Ann was still there. And she was staring at her.

Smiling sweetly, she brought her index finger to her fang-toothed lips.

Jo had an urge to show Christy Ann her own finger.

Lilah pulled her back, though, before she could, mouthing, _"She still there?"_

Jo looked back out.

She shook her head, turning back. "Damn vampire speed. It's not fair."

"You sure she's gone?"

"I'm sure. Look—there's a bunch of dead flowers heading the other way."

"Very funny." Getting up and checking for certain, Lilah took a breather. "What do you think that was about?"

Jo used the stone to help her stand, not answering Lilah's question. She walked—shakily, she admits—towards the tree Christy Ann was leaning on. Making sure there were no ant trails, she placed a hand on the trunk. She felt the rigid plank of the wood. The bumpy rinds of the bark. Ally once said that if someone concentrated enough, they would feel the tree pulsing… like it had its own heart.

It was nice… a kind of relaxing spell.

"You going to answer my question?"

Jo sighed, opening her eyes and placing her hand back on her hip. "If I could, I would. But I can't. So I won't."

Lilah was twirling and pulling at her curls when Jo looked at her. "Philosophy doesn't suit you."

"It's not philosophy, for your information Clarke, it's a statement." She scratched her nose. She looked straight up. She listened to hers and Lilah's breathing, to the birds just starting to tweet. If anything, she needed clearance of mind right now.

"I just don't get it."

"Get what?"

She puffed her cheeks. "How'd you know about this? This meeting, I mean."

"I didn't. I just wanted to take a stroll with bodies beneath my feet."

"Well you don't have to be so sarcastic about it." Jo rested her back on the tree. "Really though."

Lilah shifted on her feet and clicked her tongue. "Well. When you asked me about Ally, I went to the herb garden." She tapped her forehead and grinned. "Smart. I know. I waited in a tree for, like, an hour before she came somewhere around 6 a.m.—as usual." She stretched suddenly, touching her toes, "And… she may have dropped her phone near the tomato vineyard."

"And," Jo continued, "you may have—accidentally, of course—forgotten to tell her before looking through her texts."

She grinned, cheeks lifting up as her nose touched her knees. "How'd you guess?"

Jo smiled. "Oh, you're good. But you returned it right?" Everybody knew that with the schedule Alixia Salud had, she'd be lost without that Chocolate Motorola.

Lilah was batting her eyelashes. She stretched her back. "Of course. That would be unethical."

"Of course." Jo repeated. "Did you know Ally knew your sister?"

"_I_ barely know my sister."

"Right." Jo mumbled. Something's… wacky…

"The thing now though." She said. "Is what we're going to do about Christy."

"What about her?"

"Were you even listening back there? She's blackmailing Ally."

"Why it gotta be _black_mailing?"

"Don't start the racist thing now, please," Jo groaned, "we don't have time. I'd suggest telling Petronella—you know how she loves Ally—but she hates _me_. Angora wouldn't have time—"

"Jo."

"—and neither would—what's-her-face? Your Senior?—Sally?"

"Sera."

"Sera. And Mathielle wouldn't even _care—_"

"Jo."

"And I know it'll suck to be a snitch and all but _still_—"

"Let's not do anything."

"But if we're too late, something major may happen…"

Lilah was looking at her funny, with her eyes bordering wide and her lips puffing out. Jo brushed at her bangs.

"What? What'd you say?"

She rolled her neck, placing her hands on her waist. "I said: Let's not do anything."

It took a second for it to process.

"… You're kidding."

"No."

"But…" she was kidding. Of course she was kidding. "Why?"

"Because we don't know for sure what's going on. And because we don't have _proof_. Everyone knows you need proof in a procedural cop show."

Jo's throat made a sound of disbelief. "This isn't CSI, Clarke." She jabbed her finger towards the tree, "You're sister was right here. Ally was right where you're standing. We know what we heard. Ally's being forced to do something she doesn't want to. The conversation took place _just_ a few minutes ago."

Lilah stayed silent for a few seconds, olive eyes thinking and shifting. "Did you record the conversation?"

Goshdarnit. "No, Lilah. I did not record the conversation."

"Then I told you. No proof, no way."

She thumped her head back on the tree. "I don't like it when you're smart."

"I don't like it when you're stubborn."

Jo snorted. "Boohoo kachoo."

"So listen, _I_ think we should keep quiet about this." Lilah suggested, sending Jo reeling. "We should just… lay low for a while. See how this plays out."

Jo pinched her nose, thinking. "Wait. Are you—are you trying to protect your sister?"

"No."

Jo laughed. "I can't believe it."

She saw how Lilah opened her mouth to protest. She cut her off. "Look. I don't care. You want to '_lay low_'? See how it '_plays out_'—?"

"—what's with the air quotations?"

Jo ignored her. "Sure. Let's have it your way. But you need to do me one more favor."

Lilah didn't say anything. She knew what was coming.

"Figure out which room the meeting's going to be."

She sputtered out something like a gurgle—even though they both knew she expected it. Bronzed eyebrows rose nonetheless. "Are you crazy? You can't just crash an Inner Circle meeting!"

"Why not? It's not like they'll kill me. Daybreak is all for compassion and understanding, right?"

Lilah clicked her tongue in that way of hers again. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, girl."

Leaning against the safety of the tree's trunk and shade, listening to its heartbeat, Jo laughed. She made Lilah's eyebrows go even higher.

Laughter still going strong, Jo managed to breathe out: "What else… is new?"

* * *

"Mare."

Mary-Lynette tapped her pocket.

"Mary-Lynette."

She twiddled with her cell phone's antennae.

"Holy crap. It's Ash!"

Her head whipped. "What?"

Lupe stuck out her tongue. "Only way to snap you out of it."

"Be nice, Lupe," Hannah said, though she was smiling, "It's natural for her to be anxious."

"I'm not anxious."

"Please," Lupe waved her hand, amber eyes bubbling with amusement, "you've got 'worried housewife' written all over you."

Mary-Lynette felt like an idiot. "If I'm anxious, it's because of _this_." She gestured to the carriage—a horse-drawn, very, _very_ old-fashioned carriage—eager to defend her competence. "I know you think I'm a country girl—but this is a little over the top."

Hannah looked a little insulted. "Actually, this is very high-class in England."

"During Sherlock-Holmes's time. Maybe." Lupe winked. "I told you they were old-fashioned here."

Hannah "hmpfed." Mary-Lynette laughed.

And for a second, she almost forgot she was in a carriage with a werewolf, a girl who she just learned was reincarnated for the majority of human life (Old Souls, they said… go figure), and that she was waiting for a call from the witch nursing her vampire soulmate.

For a second.

Then she started twiddling her phone's antennae again.

"Mary-Lynette," Lupe complained.

"What?"

"You're doing it again."

She blinked. "Doing what?"

Lupe opened her mouth, saw Hannah's look, then shut it. She pursed her lips. "Nothing."

"She can worry about him Lupe. It's not a crime."

Lupe sighed, defeated, and she settled back on the very vintage leathered seat. "Yes, Lady." When Hannah turned her head to look at the tinted window, Lupe showed Mare her tongue. Mary-Lynette smiled. She rested her head against the window.

* * *

The sun beat down as hard as she expected. It was a Nevadan noon after all.

Mare placed a hand above her forehead as she opened the carriage door. She almost tripped on the one step to the ground.

"You okay?" Lupe came down next, ushering an already heat-flushed Hannah.

Mare gave a little crooked smile. "Yeah. Just a little clumsy."

"Mhm." Orange-tinted eyes searched hers, "You sure?"

She waved off Lupe's concern. Looking down, she realized that they were indeed on a sidewalk. To her right was a ledge—or hill side, she didn't know—with rocks and clumps of dirt jutting out everywhere beside the middle stair-wall. Entrances and signs were nowhere in sight, only an archway with winding roses (mental note: Daybreakers like archways with black and white roses). Other than that, there was no specific sign to state the fact that this was the land of the dead.

Land of the dead… she almost smirked, thinking: What would Nancy Drew do? Look for some grave robbers, maybe?

So she looked at the grass—not really acknowledging the fact that it was broad daylight and that only a _stupid _grave robber would be trying to rob the dead of the Daybreakers. It was all in good fun anyway—and actually saw some patches of stalks muffled and stomped on. She traced the wayward steps and found that it matched the barely-there, dirt-ridden scuff marks on the first few stair ledges… Then she looked around and noticed the moped/bicycle like-thing a way off the carriage.

She concluded that someone has been here. And still was—considering the sitting ride.

Then she looked at the sky, with the sun almost directly above, and she looked behind some dwarf hedge and up the cemented stairs. And for a reason that was beyond her understanding, Mary-Lynette took a deep breath. The kinds that filled your lungs with natural, sweet oxygen.

Except, amazingly, it didn't taste like natural, plain oxygen at all. Or the deceased for that matter. She could actually tell what it tasted like. It tasted like… a meadow. A meadow with some mushrooms and a spritz of tiger lily's…

She was going to share this with Lupe and Hannah until she turned around. Lupe was in the middle of smirking.

"What?"

"You sure you're okay?" Smirk was still in place.

She threw her hands up, her headband wobbling in her hair. "Yes, Lupe, I'm sure. Okay?"

"Lupe," Hannah raised a delicate hand to her birthmark, a darker pink than the rest of her skin, and nudged Lupe a little. Then she smiled politely and said: "The cemetery is up the stairs," to Mary-Lynette before making her way through the grass.

Lupe didn't stop staring.

Mary-Lynette was getting annoyed.

"Excuse me," she said, trying to hold her gaze. Then she tried walking away. Didn't really work out.

Lupe caught her shoulder and pulled her back. "No you don't." She pulled until Mare had no choice but to face her. She was a little taller.

"Here." She pressed a pair of sunglasses onto Mary-Lynette's palm. "We're in Nevada. The sun's not going to show any mercy to a drunk human."

Drunk? Shock… her cheeks were turning pink. "I'm not drunk!"

"If you have to shout something to make it true, it really isn't." Lupe winked and waggled her eyebrows. "And I didn't mean that kind of 'drunk' Mare. Not with alcohol."

Mary-Lynette tried hard to not get what she meant. So reluctantly, and embarrassed with raising her voice, she put on the sunglasses. And she made it a point to pull up her hood.

Then she and Lupe walked up the stairs.

* * *

There was a buzz in Ash's ears. He just thought it was the fatigue.

Damn Daybreakers. They wouldn't know a good meal if it literally bit them on the butt. The six antelopes and other grazing prey he wouldn't _dare_ bother to learn the names for weren't nearly enough to satiate the thirst he had.

Forget morality, Ash wanted some _real _blood.

But, granted, the Safari—as they call it—had enough rugged terrain to wear him out. There was a meadow that smoothly transitioned into a… the forest of _Rambo_'sdreams, and there was enough wildlife to keep a zoo over-booked. Trees in here could have competed with New York's skyscrapers.

Ash's favorite (using the term loosely,) part was the mountains.

The mountains were to the West, tall and seeming to touch the clouds. He and James had run there, trying to catch a ram (which tasted like beetles and dirt), and Ash had noticed how the mountains could very well serve as a border. It was high enough to pass as a sky fortress.

He had sat down at a point, on one of the jagged boulders atop the ridge. He let James get the ram behind him while he looked for a route—_any _route that could possibly lead him out of this hell-hole.

Ash saw the Tower. The middle, needle-pointing tower that looked like it belonged to the city of Atlantis, and with his eyesight, he saw different paths leading to multiple exits and entrances. And with the memory of Poppy's knowledge, he knew what they used the structure for. Even little trivia about it. Like how it was enchanted by a spell that strengthens its build full-power. If an earthquake were to strike (which he doubted because, according to Poppy, the whole base was a dome of wards and protection) then that Tower would still be standing.

He saw the hospital, about North-Eastern, by the shimmering statuettes and Gothic windows. In the horizon he saw very small outlines of houses. Normal, plain, probably human-infested houses. And then some small outlines of a few chosen buildings to its right, his left. Must have been the City.

He'd have to stop by there soon. The only clothes he had were the ones he was wearing.

He had to pull back before James came back wiping his mouth, though, and had to comment on the view. Wouldn't want him to get any _more _suspicious.

After a few more runs at some really not-worth-it prey, James and Poppy decided that their little field trip was over, and Ash, being the prisoner he knew he was, couldn't help but loathe the going back process. Because really. It was the 20th century. Cars were all the rage in the rest of the world.

So they made their way back to the ticket booth. The same man from before stamped their tickets like he said he would and then told them to have a nice day. Ash didn't bother giving a second glance back as they walked out.

A breeze shifted outside and Ash tipped back his borrowed sunglasses, fixing it in place. The sun was up high, so it should be around noon.

"So are all humans that aware?"

Poppy's hair gave a flick as she turned back to him. She was in front, James at back. Both hell-bent on not letting him escape.

"Aware of what?"

"Us." He kicked a fallen pog with his foot. It hit Poppy, which made her glare at him and him smile at her. "I think I saw the human houses up at the mountain, if there really are that much vermin there, how did they all find out?" It was a piece of information Poppy had failed to verify.

She fell back a bit to let him walk nearer, and he saw her chew her lip. "Different ways. Some of them know some of us personally and chose to side up. Some others just went along for the ride. Most of them just want to live through this millennium."

Ash wasn't satisfied with that… "Why do they trust us?"

"Because."

"That's not an answer, Poppet."

"It's _my _answer. Because I really don't know."

They didn't talk much after that. Poppy got ahead of him again, and Ash was left to kick pogs and pinecones astray from the trails, James watching him and trying not to smirk the whole time.

* * *

Eventually, the trails turned into sidewalks. Much to Ash's confusion. It made him turn around and give James a "What in hell?" look.

"We're taking a shortcut." James very bluntly explained.

There was nothing Ash could do. He went along with it. His Reeboks stepping soundlessly (one gets used to walking like a vampire when one _is_ one) on the pavement.

A few minutes to walk, a few minutes to think.

* * *

Hannah led them to a small patch of the cemetery. A _newly touched _patch. They must have buried the bodies already.

She waited for the other girls to catch up. Lupe was hanging her head ever-so-slightly. Mary-Lynette was rubbing her eyes behind a pair of sunglasses.

"Here it is." She said.

Mary-Lynette walked over, while Lupe came a little after, pausing a few times to look at some fallen friends. This was the biggest Daybreaker base there is, the cemetery here had as much memorials as graves. She could see a memorial over there, a stone marked by an angel with a blue sash. It was a gesture of remembrance to those who died in the Alaskan tsunami. There was a remembrance to the Chilean earthquake, to the Cleveland massacre, to the Dragon attack in Sweden that caused a massive avalanche…

Hannah knew, because she foresaw the building of the plaques herself.

It was a precious thing, she thought. Memory. In high school, all she wanted was to be a paleontologist. She loved history and it thrilled her to think of the past. What the people must have lived through, their culture. What the animals must have looked like, their species and their progenies.

Only when she heard of the Apocalypse did she realize: _This _was what was happening. _Now _is when history is being made. If they live through it, their present will be the whole world's past. If the world survives, somehow, somewhere, some-when, children are going to look back to this time and think: _What would it have been like? Was it fun? Were the people nice? _

History was being made at this very moment.

Which was why every moment counted.

Hannah bit her lip and straightened her black ironed shirt. She was staring at the most recent plaque. On it, it said:

_In memory of the ultimate sacrifice made by one of our own-_

_**Lonan Vasco**_

_A raven in counter-agency, a Daybreaker, a friend_

_In memory of fallen enemy-_

_**Leola Croan (puma)**_

_**And three others (werewolves)**_

_And in memory of the event that brought their peace-_

_**June 8, 1999**_

It was embossed in bright, vibrant gold. It was shaped like a typical headstone, except there was a raven, with its wings fully unfurled, sitting atop.

Leola's body should be under… a little to the right from where Hannah was standing. And from there, the three werewolves.

Hannah heard a sigh.

* * *

It was a sickening feeling. To know that someone was being placed 6-ft. under some pile of dirt for all eternity because of you. Because you killed.

A hand brushed her shoulder. "It was for self-defense," Hannah whispered, as if reading her mind. "It doesn't make it right, but it's the truth."

All Mary-Lynette could do was nod.

Lupe came up, bowed her head, and gripped something beneath her brown polo. If Mary-Lynette was hearing right, she thought Lupe was saying a prayer.

Religion, she thought, watching as Lupe bent her head farther, was never my strong suit…

But she had a wack at it. The least she could do.

She prayed to the best of her abilities. Racking through her vocabulary to make sure her words were by no means disrespectful, trying to make her inner voice sound as obeying as she could. Her message was overall simple. Let them rest in peace.

She went through the silence with Lupe on one side and Hannah to the other. And Mary-Lynette was still talking inside her mind (praying), when Hannah looked up.

"Lupe, did you bring flowers?"

Lupe released her hold on her necklace, looking very much down-to-earth again. "I could buy some."

Hannah smiled. "Please do." She gave Lupe a ten dollar bill. "You know the kinds."

Lupe nodded and jogged away along the grassy green.

Mary-Lynette and Hannah shared a polite smile. Then Mare went back to praying.

She thought she was getting the hang of it. Now, she was just talking. Like she would to a voice recorder, only this time, it was even more private. And non-verbal. Maybe that's why some people are so devout. It felt good to tell someone—even if they may not exist—your problems. Like a mental diary.

Only when Lupe came back did Mare realize she was closing her eyes.

"Lady Hannah," she heard her call. Mary-Lynette adjusted her sunglasses (her eyes still stung) and saw that she was holding three bouquets in her hands. One she recognized as foxgloves, black. The other two were something else. Some kind of lilies.

"How..?"

"There's a flower shoppe not far from here," Lupe explained. She held the flowers up for a whiff with a twitch of the lips, "it's a smart location, beside a cemetery."

"Are those for..?"

Lupe nodded. "Yup. Foxgloves for the 'wolves and lilies for the 'shifters."

Hannah said, reaching for a bouquet, "These are calla lilies. The deepest shade they get."

Mare squinted. "But… some of those are white."

The bouquet Hannah received was capacious, with dozens of lilies bouncing to the edge. Unlike the other two, though, it wasn't just black. It was like a checkerboard. Black and white petals randomly scattered about.

Lupe gave her the pure black lilies while Hannah gave her a smile. "It's our symbol. Black and white flowers."

The foxgloves were left with Lupe, and she was already kneeling to give them their place.

"It means harmony."

Mary-Lynette chewed it over. And she smiled.

Harmony… it sounds nice.

And for once, when Mary-Lynette kneeled to fix up her bouquet and offer some more words of remembrance, and saw Hannah and Lupe doing the same, she felt that all was right with the world.

But then her phone buzzed.

* * *

"Hello?"

Jo didn't believe in small talk. "Ash is having a few… difficulties right now."

She heard hitched breathing on the other end. "What kind of difficulties?"

"Uh…"

Jo looked at Ash, his eyes, clouded and straying. He couldn't look at her, not even if she waved her hands or done a 'monkey dance'. He wasn't looking at _anything_. He was catatonic.

"Just some difficulties."

"Jo—"

"Listen, don't worry, it's nothing we can't handle. Okay? I just called to tell you."

"… we?"

"Bye Mare."

Her phone shut with a _snap_. If Jo could see Mary-Lynette's face right now…

"Poppy, how's he doing?"

The girl was trying to catch Ash's eyes. "I don't know. He's blocking his mind somehow…" James shook Ash, gently but enough to jog someone sleeping. Didn't work.

"Jo…"

"It's amnesia, James. I know it."

"This isn't a symptom…"

"Are you the nurse here?" She snapped. James's eyes tightened, but otherwise, showed no other frustration. "I didn't think so. Keep his head up."

She barked out orders. She looked at his stats, his breathing. She checked with Poppy on his brainwaves (still no signal).

And despite her snap at James, she really didn't know _what _to think about Ash's state. James was right. Deadpanned states weren't common in amnesiacs' categories of 'watch out for…'.

But what else could it be?

"Wait."

James stopped shaking Ash. Jo stopped mentally checking off diseases in her head. "Poppy?"

"I'm getting his signal back. He's coming back!" She bounced once. James and Jo waited.

Ash's eyes slowly (so very slowly…) closed. When they re-opened, they were less shadowed. They were brownish-green. And they blinked another time.

* * *

Ash took in the hospital's white walls. The bed's cool sterility beneath him. The three pairs of eyes on his.

What in hell?

Poppy's eyes were wide with fervor. "Are you back?"

His hands were raised arm-length, ignoring her question, trying to get over his disorientation. He was a vampire. Disorientation is hardly a situation. But his eyes were blurry and duly stinging. His legs were asleep and he wouldn't be able to move them without getting that 'tingling' feeling for another five minutes. And he had no idea how he got back in this dump so quickly and with no memory of it happening.

Twisting and curling his fingers, he asked, "What happened?"

"You spaced."

Poppy looked ready to choke him. "But are you back?"

"No luck." James pulled at his hair and stood up. "He's still Ash."

"Pupils non-dilated. Focused spark. Clear retina." Jo searched for any other form of concussion in his eyes. From the tick in her neck, she found none. To James, she asked, "How do you know?"

James shook his head. "He's the same."

"Damn right I'm the same." Ash put in, simply for the sake of not being forgotten. "And what do you mean 'I _spaced_'? Any elaborations..?" he waited for James. "I need something here, Rasmussen."

Jo jabbed her fingers to his neck. "Normal pulse rate…" Ash noticed he wasn't hooked onto anything.

"We were walking. Went through the strolling gardens and then to the cemetery, ran into Jo and Delilah—"

"Actually, she almost crashed into us." Poppy put in.

"I don't like wearing my contacts." Jo mumbled. "And they make the roads so small here."

"—we met back here, at the hospital." James continued. "Delilah and Jo did a few tests on you—"

"She gave him some apples-and-pistachios brew. Said it may help the central nervous system relax enough for the hippocampus to function as properly as it could…" Jo kept mumbling and probing Ash for signs. She looked up and realized there were other people in the room. She gave a little laugh. "Craz y, but y'know, we're witches."

Witches _are_ crazy, Ash thought, watching Jo staring at him. Why are we even working with them?

"Are you going to continue, Rasmussen?"

Gray eyes sparked with wry. "You're just going to interrupt."

Ash could practically feel his eyes change color to pure green. "Do you want me to promise?"

Poppy rolled her eyes. "We left them for a break. When we came back, you were just staring."

James glared lovingly (insert gag) at his Poppy. "You're so impatient."

"Comes with the red hair." She grinned and Ash saw Poppy's own brand of flirt (insert second gag).

Jo was huffing.

"I'm diagnosing this as temporary anterograde amnesia." The witch finally stopped staring at him long enough to stoop down and grab her jacket from the edge of a chair. "There's no other option."

"But—" James.

"I'll come back to check later tonight." She was already at the door.

"… Have to go?" Poppy.

"Gotta catch a meeting, North." She smirked, then her head disappeared to the other side of the door. Her hand stayed for half a second for a hasty wave. "Don't want to be late."

The door completely closed.

Ash may have well stayed comatosed.

He looked at the other two. "What just happened?"

* * *

"You do realize this is status suicide."

Jo chewed it over. "Only if I get caught."

Lilah clicked her tongue. "Which you will."

"Thank you so much."

They tiptoed and rushed through the various hallways and passageways of the Tower. Some they were familiar with, some not. Wasn't uncommon. Possibly no one but the Lord and Lady themselves were familiar with _all _the twists and turns in this building.

But the room they were going to? Way too familiar.

At least for witches it was.

The Inner Circle's private sanction. Lord Thierry was hardly ever given the privilege to attend a private hearing. Lady Hannah, sometimes. Only when there were concerns with something _they _weren't familiar of. Which was _very_ uncommon.

They made their way to the elevators, peeking around the corners and trying to act casual in front of the few passengers getting off a lift.

When the last of them were out of sight, Lilah pressed the up button for her

"As far as I can take you, Quartz." She stated. "Don't want to risk it."

The elevator doors opened with a resounding _beep_. The mirrored walls of the enclosed space sparkled with the lobby's light.

"No sweat. I know where to go." Jo saluted her friend. She got in the elevator, pushed the floor button, and leaned in on a corner where two railings met.

She saw Lilah laughing. "Nice knowing you!"

Then the doors closed and she was on her way up.

She looked at the mirrored ceiling above.

She _tried _to dress formal and stealthy at the same time. Boot-cut jeans for soundless walking (she loved flares but they would have been too noisy) and a white-and-blue striped long-sleeved shirt under a purple scoopie. And she had her hair in a ponytail (which she _hated_) and an "_I heart NY_" cap for added measure.

Jo watched the buttons light up as she passed each floor, and she wondered just _what _she was going to do.

Well. She knew she had to do three things.

1) Get information

2) Bust Ally

3) Find out what's going on with her and that Redfern

Shouldn't be too hard.

Jo was contemplating ways of persuasion--techniques. For the times that she'll need them, (which she knew she will) when her cell phone buzzed in her pocket.

She didn't check the caller idea because she was just that impatient. But it was just as well. As soon as Jo flipped it open, a very distinctive voice said, "I heard about Ash Redfern's case."

"Angora," her mentor, her advisor, her practically second-mother, "it's not nice to badger the other nurses' for information."

"I didn't badger. I asked politely." Angora wasn't too old. Not as old as most of the "experienced" witches at least. Somewhere between early-thirties to early-fifties. Jo never asked because Jo never acquired a taste for suicide.

"Did Lilah tell you this?"

"Deliliah's a nice girl. Sweet, smart—"

Jo chuckled. "And has a very big mouth." She watched as the lighted buttons climbed higher and higher. "Why? What's it to you?"

"What's it to me?"

"Yes, Angora. You've given me permission at freelance work since the day I turned sixteen. What's up?"

On the line, Jo heard her senior sigh. "You diagnosed it as anterograde amnesia?"

"Did you get that from Poppy?"

"She's a sweet girl too. A vampire, a witch, and a used-to-be human. A triple threat--"

"Angora…"

Her senior realized Jo's get-to-the-point-already tone. She was the one who taught her it. "I need you to make sure about that Jo, about your diagnosis. For Ash's and for our sakes."

Jo was picking at her fingernails, but abruptly stopped. "Since when was his amnesia our problem?"

"It could mean a new understanding on dragons. Or on memory in general. You know how important information is at this time." This time, meaning half-way near the Apocalypse. "Or it could even reveal something on the soulmate principle."

"Soulmate principle?" Well. That was widely off-topic.

Angora sounded wistful. "Never mind that, Jo. Just… We'll have to make sure on his state. Only way to get him back."

Jo swallowed. "And how?" She asked. "How are we going to make sure?"

The answer, it seemed, was simple to the elder stonecharmer, the best stonecharmer in Daybreak. Either because she really took time and effort to think this through, or because she simply knew what was to be done.

Angora replied instantaneously. "Psychoanalysis."

"Psy… psycho—?" Jo stuttered. She knew what it was… it was just… "He's not having dreams, if that's what you mean. And we're _not _putting him in therapy. He just had a state of… of catatonia. It's not serious, Angora, I could still run a stable routine and get back his memories—"

"We'll have to put him to a test."

"Angora—"

"I'll need cooperation from the staff. And an observational specialist to track him while on the move."

"… You mean a hired stalker?"

She could practically see her senior's smile at the other end. "Yes. That's it."

"But Angora—"

"Assuming I have your consent of course."

Jo snorted. "Don't be like that. Even if I didn't give you my consent you'd just find some other loophole to get it."

"And so the student reveals the teacher." She heard laughter and Jo just had to shake her head at her mentor.

"Still." She said once the laughter died down, "I don't know if psychoanalysis is the best method for Ash. It's not just amnesia. We should wait and see—"

Again, cut off. "That's just it. It's not just amnesia, if it even _is _amnesia. If we wait, there may be consequences."

"Angora—"

"Hush, Jolanda," Jo winced, "No more whining. I know what I'm doing."

Angora didn't get worked up much, nor did she ever, _ever _pull out the _Jolanda _card; take it from Jo's experience. So the young witch knew when she should back off.

Besides, she was talking to a smart, resourceful, _renowned_ witch, about a misshapen, misguided _vampire_. What could possibly go wrong?

From the options Angora was giving her, it wasn't like Jo actually had a choice.

Nothing. Nothing could go wrong.

Jo nodded. "I hope so."

"Besides," continued her teacher, "it'll only take this one night."

* * *

After the cemetery, Mary-Lynette was escorted back by Lupe to her new dorm in the hospital. Hannah insisted on walking by herself back to the Tower. She and Lupe left the Lady still kneeling on the graves, still with her eyes--the same shade of smooth gray as the stone--closed and her lips tight with revelations.

Lupe and her chose to walk back to the hospital. It _was_ good for you. And Mary-Lynette felt better and calmer than she had in days.

She was trying to put the whole Ash thing at the back of her mind. Jo could handle it. She said she could. So Mary-Lynette will just leave it at that, because what could she do anyway? She'll just get in the way of his health. It was probably better for her to leave this place…

With that thought seeding its way through her mind, and the sun's setting its mid-to-last rays on their sun-kissed faces, Mare and Lupe arrived at her room, and Mary-Lynette was never happier to be back in a hospital.

When left, she showered, changed, and got ready to pamper herself. She thought she deserved it.

She was going to take a nap.

Mare stepped out of the shower in a dream-like state. She dried and brushed and clothed in an unhurried rush. It didn't make any sense, but to her it was perfect. An unhurried rush… all she remembered was her eyelids falling without her knowing.

So she fell on the bed, and she wasn't ashamed to say that she let out a very long, very pleasant sigh. It was _the best_ feeling anyone as worked up as her could feel. To stretch out on a comfy mattress that felt like the surface of the softest, plushiest, cotton-candy cloud of all. She gently waved out her arms, eyes closed, lips tugging up, pretending to be making snow angels. She remembered wanting so badly to do that for real when she was younger, like seven or eight. The innocent years. But Briar Creek was never an ideal place for it. Briar Creek was a modernized village, if not a marshland… and she never did travel out of her town as a child… she wanted to though… the world was out there… she loved the concept of traveling to different countries, and seeing for her own eyes, the star patterns changing and rearranging… but Briar Creek was her home… she couldn't leave it… not forever…

She was snoozing in a heartbeat.

A sweet, dreamless sleep.

Well. At first.

* * *

She woke up in sweat.

What was _that_?

A dream, _nightmare_, was playing its last show through her open eyes. But she couldn't seem to get a hand on what it was. She blinked but it didn't help. And she shut her eyes for more than three seconds, but to no avail.

She tried doing that method over and over until she realized: Just _who _in their right mind would really try to get back into a _nightmare_?

She was going crazy, she decided. Mary-Lynette had half a mind to lock herself in that closet and zip a jacket shut with crossed arms.

Then again. The world ending _is _a legible excuse to go mad.

She wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands. She was getting too tired for this. Too useless. The more she thought about the world ending the more she thought about how little and insignificant she was. It wasn't the best feeling. She could only compare it to what she felt when she could actually catch a glimpse of a new star or planet or even (rarely) galaxy through her telescope. Except without the euphoria.

Because the world ending was _not _something to get euphoric about.

Mary-Lynette groaned, sat up, and checked the ticking green clock on the wall.

It was only an hour, but that nap had really waked her up. If that made sense… maybe it only did to her… she _was _going crazy.

Looking around the room, Mare realized that she almost forgot where she was. She wasn't in her bedroom, safe, sound, and with a promise of an uneventful day. She was in a major Daybreaker base where things could only _get _more exciting.

She stretched more or less and got to her feet. Wobbling at first, she steadied herself by leaning on the wall. And for a minute, she just leaned. The windows were throwing shadows of the shutters to the end of the room, and Mary-Lynette watched as they slanted by the minute. The day was ending, and she just stayed where she was. Just being.

For the second moment in a very long while, she felt at peace.

Peace…

Eventually, her back slipped down the wall and her backside planted itself on the floor. Her spare shirt and old sweats were very comfortable, as was the hair expertly and easily tied behind her head in a ponytail. Actually, she felt sort of sleepy again…

That was when she heard a knock at the door.

Now who could that be?

Knowing the population of her whereabouts, it could've been anyone.

Her eyelids stopped their drooping and Mary-Lynette unconsciously straightened up her shirt, smoothing through wrinkles. Then she got up to answer the door.

It was a nurse. Not the same one from this morning though, a new one. Maybe just one or two years older than herself. She was nice. Polite-nice but nice all the same.

They small-talked at first, not getting to know each other but not being rude to each other. It's how politeness goes.

But then the nurse's tone and manner changed. And Mare could tell something was up.

She just didn't realize how much it would affect her.

The nurse paused, either for dramatic effect or for the simple fact that she really didn't want to say what she had to. She told Mare something and Mary-Lynette swayed, maybe staggered back a bit. Because obviously, _rationally_, the words "Briar Creek" and "fire" and "tragedy" could _not _have been in the same sentence. It couldn't have been. This nurse was lying.

Even when she said sorry, Mare just wanted her to call a joke. Say it was just a prank.

And she wanted to argue but she couldn't, she wanted to shout but she couldn't. So Mary-Lynette just stared blankly at the nurse as she explained what happened to her town. Her hometown. She kept staring even when the nurse finished and went and said more "I'm sorry's" that really didn't mean anything to her. All she really wanted to do then was to curl up back in the safety and comfort of the bed and pretend that what just happened didn't really happen. That it was just part of the nightmare that she had so willingly thrown herself into. The nightmare that started the year before.

All the while, a saying she should have, _should have_, remembered was playing in her mind like a broken record, resounding and dripping with the grating vibe of _I should have known_.

Peace always comes before the storm.

* * *

She snuck out almost immediately. Because no matter how much she wanted to stop and escape from this… this _nightmare_, Mary-Lynette knew the only thing that would help her was movement. Movement needed mind and body. Movement would keep her occupied.

So she went, half-walking, half-running, not completely knowing where she was to go. The full emotion that she knew would come sooner than later hadn't hit her yet. She was probably in denial. No. She _knew _she was in denial, and she was fine with it. Mary-Lynette could use the time her own brain was giving her to stay put together until she couldn't help it.

Her plan was simple: get away.

She needed an escape. She needed a respite.

She wasn't sure she could handle anymore.

She was dressed in some of the new clothes Hannah sent to her. Nothing special, just a T-shirt and shorts. A jogging outfit. And she remembered Lupe's sunglasses on her desk so she brought them with her. When she went outside, she was glad she did.

Lupe was right. She was drunk. Or a loose variation of it.

She walked and jogged through the various directions these paths could lead her to. Her hair was falling out of her ponytail, but she couldn't be bothered to fix it.

Mary-Lynette Carter wasn't stupid, nor was she ignorant. She knew that once she laid eyes on Ash last night that she'd be getting into some trouble. God, she knew that from the day she _started _this quest. And thinking about it, she really did think this slight… hangover was worth it.

Noticing the lack of human (or non-human for the matter) eyes on her, she ran, like sprinted, for as long as she could without collapsing. Then she just followed the current path she was on. She took one turn then another and another.

The signs were all there. She saw them the moment Lupe did, when the sun got ultra hot on her. Again, she had oozed out every ounce of denial she had. Bad habit; tried and tried to break it. Really, she did.

Nope. It was just how it worked out for her. The Night People had their Powers and instincts, she had her denial defense mechanism.

She was still half-walking, half-running when she realized that she had led herself back to the Tower. Subconsciously, she realized, she must have followed the path she and Lupe were on this morning.

Mare was turning back (she went outside to lose herself, not make trouble at the center of the base) and getting ready to sprint the other way when she saw her first visual of someone else in this whole place.

It was a girl, maybe a year younger than her. She was walking hand-in-hand with a guy that was almost twice as tall. When she came close enough to actually see, Mary-Lynette easily guessed that she was a witch. Light purple eyes.

Those eyes landed on her, in the middle of giggling about something with her beau. She stopped walking and so did the boy.

"Do you need help?" the boy asked, his voice gruff. "You look new."

"No—" Great. Mare could only imagine how pathetic she looked if random strangers stopped by to offer their services. She fondled with her ponytail while trying to come up with an understandable answer. "I was just jogging and…"

"Do I know you?" the girl's kid-like face shined with close recognition, her velveteen blonde hair barely falling askew as she tilted her head. Beneath her button-up polo was a black violet string necklace. That meant what? … Lost witch?

The girl seemed to catch herself before she stared on any longer. "I'm sorry."

Ash's friends. Probably. "No—no it's fine. I've been getting that a lot." Mare said, looking for the quickest escape. "I was just passing by."

Still, the girl stuck out her hand. Meekly, as if she were the shy one. "I'm Gillian." She introduced, then cocked her head to her partner. "This is David."

When Mare didn't answer or reciprocate the gesture, Gillian got this sort of… puppy dog look on her face. "Sorry. We just thought that introducing ourselves would be less weird for you, but I guess—"

"Mary-Lynette." She breathed, reaching for the dainty, retreating hand. She didn't want to be rude… But now they were going to get that look on their faces when they realize who she is (_Ash's soulmate?!?_) and then they'll ask questions and Mare would just want to fall face-flat on the gravel and dirt and pebbles they were standing on.

However, the only sign of shock Gillian and David wore was Gillian's tighter squeezing of her hand and David's nod of acknowledgement.

David smiled down on her. He had brown skin, a darker tan than Mare would ever get. "Nice to meet you."

She smiled up at him. "You too."

What followed next was what they could all properly classify as an awkward moment.

"Um…" Gillian tried. "Are you going somewhere, Mary-Lynette? There's a whole base map in the lobby." She pointed, still a little shyly, at the first, transparent floor of the Tower. "You could get to where you want to go—I mean, me and David would love to help you, but we're pressed for time and…"

Mary-Lynette took off her sunglasses, and she smiled with both her lips and eyes. Was everybody here just randomly nice? She didn't really want to go and rest in a posh lobby while her emotions were fighting for overall domain in her body, but how could she pass it up?

* * *

Ash never believed in coincidences. Whatever happens happened for or because some reason or other.

So when the door was left conveniently open by a nurse (witches weren't just crazy, they were _idiots_), he didn't waste a moment. He searched through the consequences and decided that this was his chance by the time he was out of his bed; he already had the makings of a plan by the time he took a step forward. And the fact that he wasn't hooked onto anything made it that much easier.

Poppy and James were gone, he failed to remember for what reason, but why would he waste energy on that? He needed Power to get through the guarded hospital way. All the nurses that would be asking questions, and though he did think witches were far inferior, he knew some could figure him out in a second. Ash wasn't super worried about that, he was worried about, if they did find him out, how would he dispose of a body in such a heavily-populated place?

He was thinking of good burial sites before he reached the door.

When he did…

Surprise, surprise.

The hall was empty.

Ash barely believed his luck.

Which was why he double-backed to the room and grabbed some of the clothes Poppy had brought him (she said that they were his own, but he didn't recognize any. Not even the underwear…) and he wasn't out of that hospital robe fast enough. He came out with pants that were, to some extent, ripped (why would I have _these_? Ripped clothes are so… tacky…) and a long-sleeved turtleneck shirt that he didn't bother to see what was the front of. He knew it was green.

But the shirt would have been too noticeable, so he scavenged for a jacket. He found one (apparently he liked metal bands, like _Iron Maiden_). He combed through his chin-length hair (it got longer…) and made his way back towards the hall. Ash closed the door behind him.

* * *

The base was shaped into a gigantic, carefully-landscaped star. For that, Mary-Lynette had a brief pang of hilarious irony.

Here she was, missing her night in Oregon, her beloved and dear telescope, the stars that shone as brightly as the sun ever could, when she was _in _one.

Ha.

"The star shape," Gillian explained, getting up from a vinyl couch to join Mare at the directory, "was a great idea for the shape. The base has five central points:

"The Observation Tower," she said. She gestured with a wave of her wrist to where they were and then pointed to the illustration of it, "the most vital point of it all, with the major tenants like the Lord and Lady having their home here when they aren't in the mansion. Not to mention all the research and equipment and rooms here that help Haven running smoothly."

Mare must have not heard right. "Haven?"

Gillian looked confused for a second. "Oh—that's just our nickname for this base. Because the one who suggested this whole base idea was a human. College-aged, about nineteen."

Mary-Lynette waited.

"Uh. She was the architect. The one that had the plans and blueprints. Most people would say that it was all Lady Hannah's or Lord Thierry's or even the Inner Circle's, and no one besides those themselves involved would correct them because no one wanted to bother. Technically, it _is _the Lord and Lady's base, and the Inner Circle _did _tweak it up with protection and added some basic elements.

"But it was Haven Gerard who designed the whole of it. She came up with the location, and she was building it herself with her own team." Gillian stopped, looked away, touched David's forearm then looked back. "She was killed by the Others before the base could finish. But no one knows how. It was a clean execution of a human interacting on the "wrong side" of the Night World they called it."

"That's… that's horrible."

Gillian shrugged. "It was her choice. She didn't even give up any information." Her eyes were tempted to water. "You see that picture up there? And the signature down here? That's her."

There was a photograph, Mare didn't know how recent, but it looked like a school picture, with the graduating robe and cap. It was of a girl. With freckles and dark fly-away hair and normal brown eyes, she wasn't other-worldly beautiful, she didn't look ethereally graceful. She looked like a human. And that was probably what made her such a hero.

The signature was at Mare's side. All she had to do was look down to see the initials: _H.G. _

"She's a center memorial at the cemetery." Gillian spoke, drying her eyes and refraining from cursing herself. "But uh." She took a deep breath. "So yeah. Some of us call it Haven in her memory. Um." Clear throat. "Where were we?"

"Uh." Mare herself had trouble remembering. "Five central points."

"Right." Gillian gathered her small form to stand tall. David was behind her, holding her half-way up. "Next is the witch hospital." She pointed to the statue of a… god? Mare presumed, a little shocked the witches would choose a male symbol. He was holding a staff with two serpents intertwined.

The hospital was on the upper right hand of the star, and the words "training" and "drop-off's/pick up's" were scrawled in black sharpie in the big space behind it.

Next Gillian pointed to the upper hand, going counter-clockwise. "The village. Like the… rural area of Haven. For the people used to that way of living." It was symbolized by a one-story house with a chimney blowing out lazy, gray smoke. "That's where most humans live, and even some Night People.

"Then the city, where it's like L.A., Chicago, and New York rolled in one. Just smaller. Shopping, food, outings, that's where you go." Upper left hand of the star was given a picture of three buildings side-to-side. "And then," she kept to the counter-clockwise, going to the lower-left hand. "There's the Safari and nature hike. Haven didn't want to touch that spot because it was the most beautiful out of the land they got off of the Mountain Springs Reserve. Lord Theirry allowed it so, and the fences and stand that keep the animals in are the only made things there."

"And here's the cemetery." Mary-Lynette brushed her finger over the illustration of the bouquet, overflowing with flowers, black or white, of every kind. It was the last corner of the star.

Gillian was glad for the breather. "That's the free grounds. The cemetery is the only landmark there. The rest is like the Safari, only tamer. Natural. Like a meadow. We only installed sidewalks there, so it'll be like a regular park."

"Why not install sidewalks everywhere?" Mare queried.

"Because…" Her guide's brow furrowed. "because… because dirt roads are much safer."

Well that didn't make sense… "How?"

"Almost everybody in Haven likes the dirt roads. Because almost everybody in Haven likes riding dirt bikes." Behind Gillian, David grinned. "And the ones that don't like riding dirt bikes just like the dirt. There's actually a study on how dirt is healthier to walk on than pavement."

"That's interesting." Mare couldn't help herself. She smiled, but she turned back to the map to hide it. "Mm… what are the rest of the markings?"

"Just other shops, rest stops, and landmarks. They're scattered around. Uh… The lines—the paths connect almost everything to here. And there are sub-sections. The Strolling Gardens at the entrance," she pointed to the foot of the star, the top-point of an invisible triangle. "The clearings and training space for the witches behind our hospital, and the trainings and clearings for the others at the free-grounds or Safari."

Mary-Lynette nodded. "What's this? It's almost everywhere…" She pointed to a picture of what seemed to be a tunnel.

The blonde-haired witch looked like she'd enjoy answering the question. "Those are archways, the most favorite door-style here. Every place has at least one arch."

"Why?" She really was curious.

"Because. In some cultures, especially for the witches, archways foretold…." She paused, periwinkle eyes searching for the right word, "destiny. Like… you know the saying? One door closes and another door opens? Archways never close. Like… destiny is always waiting. Whether you like it or not, it's there."

Gillian seemed to realize that what she said was profound, and embarrassed with Mare's eyes on her, she added cheekily. "And Lady Hannah just loves intertwining flowers on them. Another symbol for Daybreakers. When things and people meet to make one." Here she intertwined her hand with David's. "Harmony."

Mare nodded. And she bit her lip when she noticed David's hold on Gillian grow gentler, and Gillian leaning reflexively back. Soulmates.

She changed the subject. "So… Gillian. How do you know all of this?"

The girl giggled, her short hair bobbing. "You just… pick up these things." And she walked over with David to the half-circled counter before picking something up from a stacked pile. A packet.

"Literally. There's a carry-on map."

Well. Don't I feel stupid.

Mare could have sworn she blushed. "Thanks."

David smiled. "Don't let it get you down. Gillian's just joking. She works part-time here as a receptionist. Get's these kinds of questions all the time."

Gillian giggled again.

Mary-Lynette almost laughed with her. She needed a giggle.

But then.

"Well, I shouldn't keep you two." She tugged on her ponytail and folded the packet carefully into her shorts pocket. "I'll be on my way." And to Gillian she added. "Thanks for everything."

Gillian just smiled.

Neither of them stopped her. Didn't even ask where she was going. They said their bye's and nice to meet you's and that was it.

Mary-Lynette couldn't have asked for anything nicer of them.

She was out of there.

And she looked at the map once she was a good distance away, and she immediately knew where to go. It was crazy. But she knew. It was even far, with paths crisscrossing and twisting to give her cross-roads. But she needed it.

Besides.

A few minutes to walk, a few minutes to think.

* * *

It was by the beginning of twilight did Ash realize that he had no idea where he was going.

He made it out of the hospital without so much of a glance-over. He didn't even see a nurse to or from his way out of there.

And Ash had been wandering around aimlessly since, trying to find an exit, an entryway, _something _to give him an idea of where he was_._

Because clearly, he was lost.

What a grand escape for the grandiose Redfern.

Ash muttered a good long chain of curses.

He only knew that, from the hospital, he made a left turn and been crossing and twisting to stay on the same path. In about a block, he would be walking on sidewalks.

A sense of déjà vu weaseled into him when he saw pogs and pinecones kicked astray. Did _I_ do that? He asked himself. But he didn't remember… he couldn't have.

For the hell of it, Ash went out of his way to kick a pinecone.

There. Sense of… familiarity? He didn't know the term for it. But he kicked the cone again and again, following its every stop before kicking it ahead.

He kept on kicking.

He kept kicking until his make-shift ball hit a staircase.

* * *

Now Mary-Lynette had a map to tell where she was going. A good thing, because it was getting dark. The only other time she was out here at night was with Hannah and Thierry. Now she was alone.

And though she knew most, if not all, of these people were the good guys, she still had a creep up her spine whenever she heard something suspicious.

The sun was completely gone now. Twilight was taking over, and for the next one to one-and-a-half hours, the only light she'll have would be the tinges of hot pink and violet dusk.

She just kept reaffirming her lack of sanity when she stubbornly persisted to the one place she felt where all was right with the world.

The cemetery.

It was a blind shot, but she was going for it.

And on her way, she did the stupidest and riskiest thing.

She thought.

She thought about a lot of things. But everything she thought of, it led to him. Even when she tried to think about that outrageous lie (Briar Creek burning was _not _true. She already decided it wasn't) she went back to that night. When her life changed, and she was new. She kissed a vampire and she loved it. She killed a werewolf that was her friend. She could have died, but she _lived_.

And she hated it. Which was why she thought she was doing the right thing when she sent him away the next morning.

And then Mary-Lynette realized: reflecting on traumatic events is not one of the smartest things to do before visiting a cemetery at night.

She was almost there. She was already walking on the familiar sidewalk. And she could already see the curb that would lead her to the staircase.

Mary-Lynette sped up. What propelled her to the cemetery, she didn't know. But she needed some kind of comfort.

She was walking up those steps in a minute, not bothering to play detective and see if there were any other late visitors. And when she looked back on this night, she'd realize that to be her mistake.

She passed under the archway and paused to take in the sight.

The last hues of pink were drifting into oblivion. Violet and indigo were prevailing over this side of the world now. And the effect the two colors had was priceless.

Either by the style of Lady Hannah or by the work of the witches, the place looked… unearthly.

There were Christmas lights. Multi-faceted, golden bulbs were wrapped around two or three evenly spaced trees to give off a ghostly, almost wraithlike glow. Nighttime flowers were blooming and giving off all kinds of scents. The wind was beginning to whisper, fireflies were beginning to work, and beetles were buzzing about.

Very serene. To the point of sheer eeriness.

She walked through the square platform and onto the grass. Her ruddy old converse were stepping soundlessly through the field, and through the lights, was extra careful to not step on anybody's graves.

Mare just wandered; she really didn't have a plan for this. Now that she was here, there was nothing for her to do.

So she chose a comfy looking headstone, gave silent prayers and apologies, and rested on it, letting her shorts get stained by the grass. She let her hair loose and her sunglasses fall next to her and she rubbed her forearms. It was getting chilly.

She breathed in the air and was semi-happy that her senses were returning to those of a human girl. She couldn't smell anything in the air but air. This morning, she smelled tiger lily's and the authentic aroma of a meadow. Cut and wild grass mixed together with smatterings of flowers…

But no. She was fully human now. Ash's blood in her was already diluted.

She stood up, brushed herself off, and looked about.

Then Mary-Lynette walked.

She walked to clear her mind. She walked to get away and to have just a smidge of freedom. She walked because she felt like it.

She walked through what must have been dozens and dozens of aisles with headstones either commemorating the dead or commemorating the events that led to the deaths. And she was getting fairly good at discerning the species of individuals without looking at the markings. Here was a plot with a smattering of black foxgloves: enemy werewolf. A lone, long-stemmed black rose: enemy vampire, a bouquet of black and white dahlias: Daybreaker witch. A single pink… tulip? Oh. A human then.

It astounded Mare at just how well her wall of apathy was helping her. If she were any less indifferent, she may have seriously considered turning back to the hospital and calling it a night.

But she was indifferent, (natural defense mechanism, remember?) so she trudged on.

There was a pull somewhere to her left. She followed it. Didn't even pause to wonder why on earth there _was _a pull, and just followed. Mary-Lynette seemed to do a lot of things without thinking these days.

But... A sense of… being on the right path wrapped its way around her, pushing her now-cramping legs (she ran a _lot, _little streams of sweat were trickling down her bare neck) forward still. That was the sense that led her to be carefree, for an instant… so she looked up at the sky.

Oh… oh it was beautiful. It wasn't too clear, but it was clear enough to see the whole constellation of Orion the Hunter. Clear enough for her to count twenty… thirty… thirty-five…

"Mary-Lynette?"

Mary-Lynette tore her eyes away from the stars.

* * *

The cemetery was as good a hiding place as any.

That's what Ash thought when he settled down for a quick rest on a very comfy looking headstone on the farthest… left? He thought. Yes. Left of the cemetery. No one would find him here.

He reached back to grab his hood and put it on. He huddled in his jacket and prepared for a deep one-on-one with his psyche. Ash Redfern needed answers, and goddammit, he was going to get them. This very night, if he could help it.

He had just settled in, back completely relaxed against the solid stone, when he felt something.

It was to his right. And it felt like an itch that just begged to be scratched.

But it wasn't an itch. It was like a… a tug. Or a twitch. Something so minimal that impossibly grew in draw by the second.

It moved something in him. Ash felt stimulated. Obliged to get up.

So he did.

And then he was walking.

And it was strange, because—because he… he _felt_ something. Similar to the feeling he had this morning, except stronger. Of… of being right. Like he was following what he was supposed to…

He was so lost in it, Ash didn't even slap himself for using such a… for being so… stale.

His hands wormed their way out of his pockets, his hood fell of its own accord, and the wind murmured against the hair falling into his eyes.

And then he saw it.

Or rather, he saw _her._

He should have known.

Ash wished he could just die.

Because it was her. _Her._

What the hell was she doing here?

Mary-Lynette was walking still. She was looking up. In a matter of time, she'll be looking at him with the same surprise and question he knew was in his expression. And maybe even hate.

And that damned Ash Redfern couldn't seem to move his own legs.

It was by luck (good or bad) that a werewolf side-stepped in at the last minute.

Well no. Actually, Ash only _smelled_ the werewolf. But the scent was all it took to snap his self-control back into place. He felt his legs again and made haste to hide behind a gravestone. One with a square base and a full-statue of an angel on top.

Like Ash said.

He didn't believe in coincidences.

So when life gave him an opportunity, a chance to solve his latest puzzle by spying on her via perfect vantage point… well. Who was he to oppose it?

So he crouched lower, and using his quiet steps, scooted closer to the sides. He was still blocking his presence from any detectors (odd that no one was tailing him yet, because he didn't feel any oppression) and he settled in for a show.

* * *

A small shock ran through Mary-Lynette's legs. She must have jumped two feet off the ground.

_Jeremy?_

He was standing there. In front of her. Mary-Lynette's eyes were towards the sky while she walked, but how could she not have seen him?

Was this where the pulling was leading her?

She was gasping, frozen, rooted to where she was standing.

Until, that is, she remembered.

"Oh." Mare gave herself a hard, mental pinch. She had to get back down from Cloud Nine sometime. "Hi Nat."

Don't stare, she scolded, _Don't stare. _

Mary-Lynette turned. She pretended to be reading a stone's epitaph.

Nathaniel Moore was sitting, cross-legged, on top of a burial. Dressed comfy, unlike the night before. With a hoodie and shorts. When he saw her he immediately came up beside her. _Right _beside her. If she shifted her weight just a fraction of an inch, she'd be resting on his arm.

He looked… good. Healthy, practically radiating strength and stamina. His breathing was somewhat labored. Maybe he ran over here before sitting down. If Mare turned to look at him, she'd be staring straight at his mouth…

… Did it just get warm?

Finally, taking Mary-Lynette away from her discomfort, he spoke. "I didn't think I'd see you here."

So vague… She thought. Two could play that game. "Me neither."

"Yeah."

Nat must have at length sensed something, either her uneasiness or her slight hostility towards being interrupted, because he leaned back. Away from her. Which was good. She didn't need to feel anymore strong emotions for the night.

"So…" he ran a hand through his hair, but the strands still fell back in the same places. "I… I'm guessing you know..?"

She didn't answer right away. When she did, Mare was careful to keep whatever that made him move away from her intact. "Know?" She asked, sitting back down on the grass and uncaring how she looked because why would she care with Nat? He was just a stranger she met almost exactly 24 hours ago. "Know about what?"

"You know…" Nat persisted. "About your home in Oregon."

Mary-Lynette could have broken then. Break all the conduct and self-dignity she mustered. Not only was she going to feel shocked, she was going to be proven wrong.

So instead, she chose denial. Her old friend.

"What about?"

Nat looked uncomfortable. _Good_, Mary-Lynette thought.

He was going to say something, but then he thought better of it. _Good_, Mare thought again. So the boy with the deep dark brown eyes sighed and sat down with her on the grass.

_Not_ good.

She waited for him to talk, under that huge awkward cloud that seemed to hang over them. Surely he must have felt it, how could he not? Mare was on her own squirming with the need to high-tail it outta there. But she didn't. For the sake of not being impolite.

But he didn't talk. So Mary-Lynette decided to be the mature one and start a conversation.

"Why are you here?"

Nat didn't seem surprised at all by the question. "I came to visit my mom."

Mare was silent to take it in. "I'm sorry… I—I didn't know your mom died. Minsi never… but I did only know her for a little—"

"Minsi has no reason to grieve." Nat smiled into space as he explained. "It wasn't her mom."

Another silence on her part… "But I thought—"

Nat watched her from the corners of his eyes. "We're only half-siblings."

"Oh."

When he didn't talk (and she gave him two minutes), she decided that it was time for her leave.

That was exactly what she told him. "I guess I'll be going now. Thanks for uh… the talk, Nat." She made a gesture, putting her hands behind her to give her force to push herself up.

Nat pulled himself up before she could, though, and helped her without being asked, taking her hand in his. Just being a gentleman, she thought, _shouted _in her mind, _just a gentleman_. The second she was vertical again and could hold her own weight, she snatched her hand away. Not to be rude (mostly).

It really was getting cold.

Stupid me, she told herself, why didn't I bring a jacket?

She shivered before turning away to head back.

"Oh." She heard him mutter, and she didn't see what look he had on, but she could tell from his quiet voice that he was thinking something through.

She shivered, even started to feel her teeth vibrate. Her feet hadn't, surprisingly, moved an inch.

Nat sighed; then he smiled.

"Here."

And then he hugged her.

Nat was _hugging_ her.

She was more than a little surprised that she wasn't stopping him.

Sure she had an excuse. She was cold, he wasn't. Body heat equals no shivers or cold. He was warm. She needed warmth. She could already feel her body relaxing…

Mary-Lynette clung to the hope that her messed up brain would accept its own lie as truth.

Oh, but God… he even smelled like Jeremy… a mix between motor oil and wilderness… Maybe he worked at a motor shop here... someplace…

His arms around her waist didn't feel like constrictors at all. She knew without him telling her that this was all her decision. She could break free with a single twitch if she wanted to. And she wanted to. She did. Really.

But if Mary-Lynette closed her eyes, just… she could maybe pretend that it really was him… her old friend. Her old mechanic. Her childhood. Just for old time's sake.

If only it didn't feel so wrong.

She could feel her face twitch with the need to cry, (where did that come from?) but she held it back. It didn't matter that her face as away from his. She wouldn't break here no matter what. Later, when she got back to the hospital, her new room. She could vent there.

She twitched again and she knew she dragged this hug on for more than she should have.

Mare was going to ask him to let her go when she saw him.

He was there. Behind a statue of an angel with a harp. And he was watching and waiting and trying not to be seen but she saw him.

Mare stiffened, maybe even lost a little more color. Maybe she even muttered something, because she felt Nat pull back slightly.

"Mary-Lynette?"

She didn't hear him. She vaguely remembered he was there.

Oh. I don't _need _this right now.

It was a hallucination. Probably. Rationally. Because no way could one girl feel all these feelings in one day. No God or being out there would make this happen in one night.

She removed herself from Nat's embrace with a whispered "I have to go." and just ran. Her legs weren't too constricting now and she wasn't cold anymore. Nat didn't say anything as she went, and she decided that that was for the best. Any further and she knew it would have been a mistake.

She ran past the angel statue without a double-take, ran past more aisles of the deceased and steered clear a few feet as to make sure she didn't ruin any of the flower arrangements. It was almost completely night, with the purples and violets drifting as the pinks had, to only be replaced by a dark and dominant blue. The small wind sharp and gentle all at once, Mary-Lynette went without knowing how far the cemetery went, but she figured that it didn't matter right now.

Whatever her mind did to reason with the rest of her to just go, she did. And she didn't look back.

* * *

Ash didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Laugh because it really _was_ funny… it was like the universe had a thing with giving him ultimatums. If there really were such things as divine beings, he'd imagine them saying: _Oh look, there's Ash Redfern! Let's make him choose between freedom and the girl that could maybe, just maybe, be his soulmate! AGAIN! It'd be fun! _

And cry because he already knew what he was going to do.

He waited.

He's waited this long, he could wait for the werewolf to stop staring at where Mary-Lynette went and just get his sorry rejected ass home.

Eventually, the sap did turn on his heels and jogged away.

And what he was going to do sunk into Ash's thick head.

Ash gritted his teeth. "God…" He wanted to punch the statue. "Dammit all."

Later, he'd call it as another misguided relapse of identity. Another very rare, very limited sign of idiocy on his part. Another stupid mistake. But right now, he called it following his hear—

Instincts. It was instincts.

He got up.

He ran.

_

* * *

_

_**Author's Note: **_**Okay... so im mixed about this one... hate it but think its ok enough to be posted... **

**And heres the part where i give you my excuses: School work (projects that seemed to be harder than usual, but got an A with my frnds ;D), drama (As in like and like like, you know/ XD), and some other bull that just may keep you from flaming me :OOOOOO**

**That's it. I don't really think you want a more detailed explanation. If you'****re even reading this, I have to give you a big hugggg. ;}**

******Not giving up on this fic. Or the other ones in waiting. **

**I can****'t gaurantee that the next chap will be this long, but i can guarantee the appearance and new POV of a Wild Power (i.e. Jez, Illiana, Delos...) any would do fine. Who do you want?**

******Sidenote(s): **First:****** I changed Nat's character. Just a little twist for those of you who read the original. My friend is now a big sister (****Hi Mia********) and so i decided to make them related (somewhat). Besides. It fits my plot better ;)**

Second: ******Anyone with a need for a beta? **

AND:** Three of my friends (in real life) have accounts now with stories. If you like WARRIORS, check out** NeonTigerValentine** (****B.A.M.F. name right? XD****) for her original fic, and just check out **thatmetalheadguy** and **BreezeofftheHudson**(one story for Dr. Horrible's sing along) for the laughs... **

**And of course check out **DEATH OF FANFICTION** in my favorites (i forgot to fave it last time...), b/c it has real fanfic authors in them, and** FIREFOX APOCALYPTIC**, if you'd be so generous and loving and awesome. :)**

**{When'd i turn into a walking, schmoozing advertisement?}**

**Ohmygawrsh... I forgot...**

**Review..? **

_**XOXO- panini999**_


	22. Chapter 20

_**Disclaimer**__** No ownership.**_

**I won't keep you waiting. **

* * *

**Chapter 20**

* * *

She was running because she barely had a choice. She hardly does anymore.

But, if anyone were to ask her, she wasn't running because she was _afraid _of him. Not once had she been. Every time that little voice in her head—the practical one, the one that kept her all glued and tied together—said to her: _He can _crush _you in as much time it takes you to breathe. Maybe even less. _Every time, she didn't care. She breathed to get over it, reminded herself that she was never one to cower in front of anybody except when absolutely necessary, and if that didn't work, she'd kick him in the shins to get over it.

That was always her routine to get over Ash's more… malicious sides. It was the way she focused.

But when she saw him, crouching behind that statue, it brought all those feelings back up. Good and bad. The feelings of love and hatred and compassion and tragedy. With no control on her part to stop them from bubbling up and cocooning her.

Mary-Lynette didn't know if she _wanted _that to happen.

So she ran. Until her human legs could take no more.

Her breathing was… irregular, to say the least. This had to be more exercise she's ever gotten in a whole year of Phys. Ed. Her lungs were definitely having trouble sucking in all the air she could barely find and her legs were so fatigue, she'd have dropped to her knees and collapsed if it weren't for the annoying fact that she was at a cemetery. At night. Running from something that was probably her own mind's doing.

The absurdity of it all almost made her want to laugh. If she had enough air in her lungs, she would have.

But as it was, if Mary-Lynette even attempted a giggle, she would have suffered to a choking that was as close to asthma as she'd ever get.

So she took in a couple of hitched breaths, one at a time, looking around.

She was guessing that she was at the end of the cemetery—because of the way the trees cut it off, clean line. Beyond that was probably the pointy end of the star arm—when she felt something behind her.

Mare lurched up. Her breathing grew irregular again.

Something at her waist, tying around her, pulling and making her turn.

For a second, she thought this was another hallucination.

Then she turned around.

And then he crashed into her.

* * *

Blue eyes looked at Ash from below him in an almost petulant stare.

"Are you going to get off of me anytime soon?"

Her voice was breathy, but strong. Tired, but determined. Ash didn't think that was possible.

Still. He didn't bother dignifying that remark with his own.

He had smashed into her, and if she didn't get him mad and irritated just now, he might have apologized. But it wasn't like she was hurt. He made sure of that.

Her head was resting on his left hand, safe and sound. Her hands, sending spontaneous, wooing ripples through his arms, gripped to his jacket sleeves. His right hand and arm was propped up in a push-up position, meaning that his shoulders were up, while the rest of him laid on hers. At the time, Ash didn't pay attention to that fact.

Because in the very dim moonlight, her hair—which had been torn free of its… whatever they call those hair-holding things—looked like a splash of black dripping from his hand to the ground. He double-checked (triple-checked. Maybe more but he didn't want to admit it) to make sure it wasn't blood. If she had a concussion or any injury because of one move on his part, he'd—

"Well?"

She was obviously not happy to see him.

Fine. Then he wasn't happy to see her.

"Well what?" He threw back, and she pinched her eyebrows.

"You. Are. On Top. Of Me."

"Oh really?" Ash prepared to heave to, but not before he leaned as close to her pinched face as he could. He made sure to meet her eyes; he touched her forehead with his. Then he tilted his head to brush her ear with his lips. And though it sent every nerve of his own jumping, Ash still chuckled at the way her muscles locked.

His mouth was still close to her right ear, and he just couldn't resist the tease making its way from his mind out of his mouth.

Slowly, seductively, he whispered. "You sure you want me off?"

Bait set. Ash was smirking on the inside to see her reaction.

Aside from her breathing, she was silent. To both his surprise and delight.

Yes. Delight. A female body beneath his would make him delighted any day. (It didn't damn well matter who the female was. Of course not. Of _course_ not)

Ash could even swear he heard a sigh.

But then again. He would also swear that he didn't want to sigh at that moment either.

Wouldn't be too bad to give in… he _was _awfully comfortable.

His arm was slowly bending down.

As a vampire, it was only natural that his eyes fall first on that delicate curve of the collarbone. He wasn't exceptionally thirsty, but when inhibitions are as carelessly thrown away as now… and on a girl with such _rich _blood.

Don't be stupid, he chided himself, you fed this morning you moron…

…but only on animal blood, the greedy part of him whispered, it's only half the… nutrition.

Discipline _was _never his strong suit.

And his eyes were moving up, from the collar to the throat. But upper still, Ash recognized the strain against the usually only slightly dignified jaw line.

They said that the stronger a person's jaw the more stubborn they are. He took one look at the puckered pout of her lips and the beryl blue of her eyes and decided it was an apt observation.

He said discipline wasn't his strong suit, but neither, he knew, was staring at a girl's eyes any longer than it took to trance them.

Then suddenly, Ash was angry.

His blood warmed then boiled with indignity and defiance.

It infuriated him. At how easily this vermin could make him forget who he was.

He didn't even know why he ran to get her.

Ash didn't want this to go any further. But for his sanity's sake. Not the girl's.

He groaned as he pushed himself up, pushed both of them up. And when he and her were standing tall again, he fully-expected her to snatch her hand away—like what she did with that wolf.

Didn't happen.

This girl was _full_ of surprises.

So they stayed there. For maybe… twenty-something seconds. Her hand in his, with her eyes staring at him in a blank—if not mourning—state. He was staring at her with a blank look of his own. There were vibrations throughout his palm, but he blamed them on her. She was probably shaking. He thought of what the color of his irises were, and he guessed that they just morphed from green to… aqua?

Mary-Lynette's eyes widened.

Fog wrapped its way around them, misting out in the night air. It couldn't have been too late. The half-moon was barely out. The only peculiar thing was that, if Ash tilted his head to the right for just a tick, the fog may actually look silver…

And then…

And then—_bam._

It hit him. Like a crushing wave. Or a ton of bricks. Just being chucked at him.

Didn't this…

_Didn't this happen before? _

The—this scene. Him. Her. With her eyes widened and his own the color of a fresh pool… it was important… he _knew _it was… he _knew _this part. It was like a movie—like someone just switched on a VHS recorder in his brain, and it wasn't too unpleasant either, it actually felt like a release, sort of, was this—

Then Mary-Lynette looked down. To examine her fingernail. Her ears were slightly pink.

The notion left Ash like an arrow whooshing past his head.

"What," She said, "What do you want?"

Ash blinked. Refocused in an instant.

"Just…" Ash tore his eyes away from Mary-Lynette. Thank God, he thought. Any longer with that feeling and he might have... he didn't know what he would have done. No idea.

That's what scared him.

Yet, a miniscule portion of his mind, particularly the one extra-fond of retrieving his currently missing 'memory card', wondered.

What just happened… was it..?

Was that a piece of the puzzle?

"Just…" He repeated.

Ash looked over her head (more for some breathing time than anything else) and saw the way the forests behind her were. With their branches intertwined so extremely and their trunks standing together so closely... _he _could barely see through them. He. Ash Redfern.

Gears turned in his head.

Earlier, he was worrying about where to dispose a body…

Ash Redfern, he thought, I _am _Ash Redfern.

And I know just how to prove it.

A ghost of a smirk flashed so quickly on his lips. He was sure the girl standing next to him didn't see it.

"Come take a walk with me."

* * *

The trees were close. Almost claustrophobia-worthy close. The roots sprouting and emerging from the ground, and the slippery to dense and thick moss weren't really helping Mare's footwork either.

Mary-Lynette had no idea why she agreed to this little… escapade. No verifiably sane one, anyway.

But she wasn't _in_sane. She wasn't. She was only in a forest with a vampire. Who may or may not remember or care that she was his soulmate. His other half. His piece of the puzzle. And who may or may not want to kill her, either for that little soulmate bit or for her blood.

See, in this world, that counted as completely _sane_.

Her hand was brought up to brush her hair back up in a ponytail, but then she remembered that she left her violet, polyester scrunchie somewhere in the cemetery fields. She was about to call Ash out on that—that he had to go back and get it since _he _was the one who knocked it out of her hair, but when she looked up from her downward gaze, she saw that he wasn't even looking at her.

An edgy veil seemed to settle in on them. For Mare, it was positively nerve-wracking.

Positively so. As much that her previous thoughts came back full circle.

She found herself entertaining the thought of him finally finishing off the job. Burying the hatchet. Spraying the pest. Help her pull up her own daisies.

Basically killing her and getting it over with.

She let out a short sigh.

Or he may want to kill her for some other reason.

Some traitorous subsection of her mind had been whirring with that possibility since she saw him behind the statue—while the rest of her undeniably shut itself off in denial—that little part just buzzed with an idea.

He saw her. In a hug. With a werewolf.

Mary-Lynette automatically, pragmatically, scratched out the possibility of him having any tiny inkling he may have had about Jeremy. It just wasn't possible. If Ash didn't know her, he wouldn't remember squat about _him_.

Still. Shouldn't he feel a little… insecure, or something? She knew she did, and _she _knew Nat was just a friend.

It would explain the tension. She could feel it in the air—almost tangible.

And some other traitorous part of her was pleased, if not a little vengeful.

Jealousy was a girl's best weapon, Mary-Lynette learned a long time ago. Right after looks and smarts.

She chewed on her lip, let Ash lead to wherever the heck he wanted to go. For all she knew, he could be letting them go in circles. And all at once, Mary-Lynette questioned her decision.

The only remote voice of reason she could cling too was that the forest wasn't deep—infeasible to get lost in. According to the map, they could have reached the end borders of the base in less than ten minutes.

Well. In truth, if she had _any _voice of reason left, she wouldn't _be _here.

But the scene, how it played out… once Ash gestured to the forest she was helpless to pursue. No matter what her better judgment was screaming at her, the need for some kind of closure was too great.

Because… it was just so… _ironic_. Almost like, she thought, like fate. Like fate already decided for her.

They were in a forest. On Ash's request. And now they were just waking together. Aimlessly.

So, in a way, this is almost, sorta-kinda, a complete déjà vu of when they first… confessed… stuff.

Mary-Lynette's skin was getting almost… what she could only describe as uppity. Maybe it was goosebumps.

You're in a forest with a vampire, Mare reasoned. It is _wholly_ understandable for you to have goosebumps.

Wait.

Slowly, Mary-Lynette repeated that in her head—minus the sarcasm.

She was in a forest. With a vampire.

At night. In the edge of a cemetery.

Alone.

With a vampire.

Huh.

Guess she was wrong the first time.

Least now she knew she could put another quarter in the "_Mare is a lunatic" _jar Mark had back at Briar Creek.

... Briar Creek…

Mary-Lynette's throat welled.

So she groped for a new topic.

Like Ash.

In her mind's eye, she began imagining all the sorts of things Ash could possibly be thinking.

Almost timidly, she snuck a peek at the boy beside her.

"Ash..?"

He didn't falter in his steps, didn't give any inclination of hearing besides a "Hm."

She asked the obvious question, vowing that—whatever the answer—she wouldn't let it affect her. "Why'd you follow me?"

"Instincts." It was instant. Almost a reflex. Ash turned to her for the first time and flashed a brilliant smile that was gone as quickly as it came. "Why? Was there any other reason you thought of?"

Stupid questions tended to stall in making it into Mare's ears.

"No. None at all." She stepped on a rock the size of four bowling balls glued together and she instantly became mildly aware of the fact that Ash had moved closer, even saw a slight movement in his arm. Her heart pounded steadily with four more beats before preparing to kick into overdrive. Yes. He was definitely closer. And yes. His arms were definitely moving.

But then she realized that the forest space was getting more compressed (into the shape of the tip of a star arm, the end) and that he was just adjusting his jacket.

Looked like I was right the second time, she thought, grimly and not all too enjoying her confirmation, I'm a pathological lunatic. I actually thought he was going to help me off this thing and sweep me off in his arms like some act from… from _Shakespeare_.

Shakespeare… ha. Nice choice of playwright, Mare. Pick the guy who excelled in love tragedies.

She hopped off the hunk of stone, felt the soft and dank moss give a little way beneath her, and waited for Ash to break the silence.

He didn't break the silence, on the contrary, the outline of his head unexpectedly turned up, towards the moon and stars.

She was brutally reminded of the last thing he said to her before leaving Oregon.

"_Even when we're apart, we'll still be looking at the same sky!"_

"I've wanted to do that for a while," Ash whispered, as if he wasn't talking to Mare, but to himself, "I don't know why—I don't care much about them—but I have."

Mary-Lynette almost broke down. Then and there. She coughed to pass off a sniffle and looked around to keep preoccupied.

Dark, foggy, mist was beginning to settle between her legs and between her and him. The dew was already forming, but falling on ungrateful plants. There was barely grass here, wild clumps of flowers were scattered about—and there were certainly a lot of visible ground in patches that have somehow escaped the moss invasion—but no grass. Shame. Mary-Lynette wanted badly to get comfortable and lay down under the stars. They must have been shining clearer now. Maybe not as clear as before all the calamities of the End of the Days struck (what with global warming and such), but clearer than she has seen in _months_. She'd like to believe that they were shining just for her.

In fact, they were so polished this night, so gleaming, that Mary-Lynette had the wild thought of the pearly and resplendent hue being strong enough to reflect on the moss.

The thick, non-absorbent moss. The moss so dark green it was black.

Her mind was laced with sarcasm. Towards herself.

And what a coincidence! For the sterling streak to be in the exact shape of a thinned rope! And look at that! It was shimmering! And you only need _one _guess to know who that 'rope reflection' led to…

Mary-Lynette tried not to gasp, failed.

It was quiet, but nevertheless, Ash looked up. Mary-Lynette met his burnished bronze eyes for less than a second before looking up on her own. She needed her shining friends.

But—as if to annoy her—the royal blue was getting drowsier, and the clouds more condensed. Her friends were gone, being covered up. Almost true night.

Rustling leaves created the illusion of an autumn time but Mare knew it was only June. The cicadas' gentle hum would back her up. Mare tried not to think about the time.

She tried not to think about him either, the gorgeous boy beside her. Mare never did care for looks much, but he was… well he was Ash. She accepted his credit of being too awfully good-looking from the day she met him, and needless to say, his kind of looks was tough to compare with. She knew she could never compare at least. Like right now: with his well-fitting jacket and his jeans and her ratty shirt and sweats—she never changed because she never planned on staying out so late. If she had, she would have brought a jacket.

And she _was _getting goosebumps. Subtly, she rubbed her left arm.

Goodbye Princess of Practicality, she thought, hello Princess of Pathetic Planning.

She must not have been doing it so subtly, because Ash's head tilted to the movement. "Are you cold?" He didn't look at her face, and Mare thought that that was ok. She didn't want to see his expression any more than he wanted her to see it.

She didn't answer him—whether by fear or spite or sheer nervousness like, embarrassingly, a little girl with her much older crush. Then, without her noticing, Ash had already unzipped his jacket.

In a show of sudden and unexpected gallantry, he asked. "Want it?"

_Accept it stupid._

In a show of sudden and unexpected stupidity, Mare said. "No thanks."

What? _What?_

Ash flashed a small smirk before shrugging in answer, already returning to his pensive state and looking everywhere but at her.

She was going to join him, in that battle of the wills, that who'll-stare-at-whom-first thing. But then a very eye-catching shade of green sparked in her a little uh… _tremble_.

She would have blinked if she wasn't so afraid that that color was going to go away.

"Ash." She said and she found that her voice sounded quite dry. "Do you know what shirt you're wearing? Where you got it?"

An outright question and he still didn't fully look at her.

He gestured to the vermillion turtleneck he was wearing, unlike her, he had planned for the night trip out—but that was beside the point.

"Does it matter?"

Doubt grew, was squashed, and was discarded away. She _knew _that shirt. It was etched in her memory. "It should," she said, "You got it from Briar Creek."

He must have recognized the name.

He was silent, but in a 'thinker' way. Not like the strained, foggy state he was in before.

Mary-Lynette's hopes stirred up.

He paused, then said, "I don't remember tha—"

But Mare was too eager. Too ready for things to go exactly as they were planned.

"You should. You _should_. You bought that in the convenience store. On the day—" Oh, gosh, what was that vampire's name? "—Quinn came back to check up on you and your sisters. The day when you…" her voice faded, and when Mary-Lynette spoke again, it was in a small tone, "when you left. For a year."

She waited for a reaction. Any reaction.

Ash stopped walking then Mary-Lynette. Now, they were just standing face to face, with Ash finally giving her the time of day (it was night but the saying still goes) and looking at her with an almost inscrutable expression. She couldn't even see the color of his eyes. Something dark. It fit the setting all too well.

Then the first sign of reaction: the skin around his eyes seemed to grow tighter. "I know the story—"

Mary-Lynette blinked, listened with her entire body. Leaned in from the root-stump spot she was standing on.

"—but I don't remember."

Her stomach seemed to fall from under her.

Huh? She put her thoughts into words. Or thought into a one-worded question. "Huh?"

Ash's eyes got tighter before, all at once, the creases vanished. "Nevermind."

No. No, she _had _to follow this lead.

"Ash…" She took a step towards him. Went so far as to raise a shy hand. Not a big deal, Mare had thought, but if she was smart, she would have remembered that he was in a coma not two days ago.

Her hand grew more confident somehow. Got all the way to a near inch of his jacket.

Ash didn't move, but he tensed his posture, and that should have given Mary-Lynette some kind of clue. But she just thought it was because he was remembering it. Maybe memories were springing back up and he was following them down, back to memory lane.

She took another step.

Her hand found its mark, resting on the semi-thick cloth of his jacket sleeve.

This time, they both tensed.

Vibrations, Mary-Lynette would describe it, like vibrations travelling down her spine and coming back up feeling like electricity, touching every nerve, every bone, every tissue in her until she was totally submissive to it…

It was boundless, infinite. Like space itself.

And just like space, she thought, just like the star clusters. Bound by the force of gravity… well _we're _bound too. We're just like them…

Ash shook quietly. Like a child going through a breakdown, Mare thought.

He's going to explode, she realized with a quick start, visions of reluctant, stubborn patients and pushy, equally-stubborn nurses coming to mind, remembering how she thought the nurses got what they deserved—be it a temper tantrum or a physical blow.

Her logical inlet whispered, _leave_. _You should leave_.

As it turns out, her mind and body were no longer connected.

Her hand stayed. Mary-Lynette took another step forward, daring as she was from her recent revelation, but he spoke before she could.

"No."

He waved her off, almost pushed, stepped back a lot, frustration and confusion and raw animalistic need for freedom barely contained by his motions. "I. Don't. Remember. I don't, okay? So just leave."

She didn't catch the silent plea in his eyes. Not even the stinging desperation in his tone.

"Ash, you will. In a few days you could—"

His eyes flashed. "Don't say it."

She tried one more time. "Ash. Ash I'm sorry—"

An outline of a hand appeared directly in her face, though careful not to shake a single hairsbreadth closer.

"No coming nearer. None of _that_." He said _that _like he was speaking of the devil.

Mare held her breath.

Ash was chewing on his cheek, slowly, ruminatively.

"And don't be sorry." He finally said, turning away, removing his hand. "It doesn't matter."

Mary-Lynette sucked in a breath.

Because all of a sudden—_Goddamn him_—his voice sounded tired. Beaten. He threw a rock against a tree trunk and they both watched as it bounced off with not a single speck of damage done to the bark. He sighed, and Mary-Lynette pursed her lips to the sound. "What's a year to me anyway?"

Now, she thought. Here was the turning point. Mary-Lynette could see it.

Options, so few and so many, were bouncing in her head as quickly as she thought of each of them. A rough draft of a speech formed in her formal head.

"Last year," said she, partially hoping that he would pay her no mind despite his remarkable sense of hearing, "was the year you and I got together. And—"

"Got together? With vermin? You're crazy."

The first impression she had was one of disbelief then blinding melodrama.

That l_ying_ scum-ridden _skunk-bag_! What more proof did he _need?_ Did he not _feel _the shock?

Did she _have _to resort to throwing her arms around him?

Maybe I should touch him again. Just a teeny-weeny poke… Just to upset him…

And then she got it. Her drama subsided.

She should have paid attention. Ash's movements and motives were as confusing as a nova on the verge of transcending to a supernova.

She paid attention to only his words, she was offended. She only registered the fact that he cut her off while she was getting ready for a whole speech to insult her, she was upset.

So she took into account the way he said it.

So… so lonely. And acting like he wasn't.

Like when they first shared… when she first saw him hurt.

Could he be hurting right now?

The thought had Mare's insides melting and floating at the same time.

He needed comfort. He needed something to hold onto.

_I could do that_. She thought. _I could help you_.

In a flash that almost made her gasp again, Mary-Lynette realized she's already decided _exactly _what she had to do—before he even crashed into her.

He needed to remember.

She looked up at him, shyly, meekly, whatever. She was going to break her own rule. "Ash."

"What?"

Mary-Lynette prepared herself. She couldn't believe she was doing this…

She opened her arms.

And Ash looked at her.

Just looked. He didn't come any closer.

"You _are _crazy. If you think that I would so much as _touch_ you again—"

Mary-Lynette protested; a little hurt from the rejection. "You drank my blood."

He didn't let that little blurt out affect his sarcasm. "Last night, yeah, we established that—"

"Then you kissed me."

There was a sick satisfaction settling in Mary-Lynette's stomach when Ash's whole form twitched.

"You thought I didn't know?" she challenged, arms still waiting, "That was the last thing I remember before falling asleep. After we shared blood."

He scoffed, but just a moment too late. "You think that means something."

No. I don't—it was just a little kiss. I barely felt it. And I have no clue if it meant anything to you or not. Who knows? Maybe you didn't even know you did it.

But it's worth a shot.

She answered by widening her arms. Mare couldn't see his face—the moon was being covered, throwing the whole scene into a more grayish than silver hue that resembled the stones at their feet—but she really wanted to. She couldn't dissect his emotions from his voice alone.

His response, however, sounded as such that she _knew _he was smirking. "If you wanted to get physical, you shouldn't have made me get off of you earlier—"

Mary-Lynette didn't bother correcting him—that he was the one who got up, not her. A fact that made her pink to the ears.

"Don't flatter yourself." She fussed, trying, for like the hundredth time that day, to retain some dignity. This was just an experiment, she told herself. Just to prove something.

He sniggered. "Experiment? Look, if you want to _save_ some dignity at least lie a little more convincing—"

The sentence was cut off, not by her, by him. But Mary-Lynette's arms clasped back to her sides before they half-crossed across her chest diffidently. They were both staring at each other with eyes as wide as they could get.

* * *

"You didn't—"

"Did you just—?"

"—say that out _loud_, did you?"

"—_read_ my mind?"

Mare's jaw was slightly open, Ash's was locked.

He was going to say something. Something along the lines of "Don't _do _that. _Ever._", when something caught his eye.

His head drooped, gradually, towards the ground. In a split, he cocked his head back then tilted it to the side. Was there something there?

His eyes darted around.

He saw moss. Moss and some mist, he thought. Green and gray. With little brown patches for the dirt that managed to wrestle its way out form the dark green fluff, and some rocks or leaves tinted silver—in a straight line, can you imagine?—that gave a slight spark and jump every time the graying moonlight hit it just right—

A gasp from the girl he had recently condemned to die.

He looked up, somewhat reluctantly.

Somehow, someway, some_why_, the moon chose the moment to reach its climactic outshining of the clouds. Her expression was as bright as day when he saw her.

Blue eyes the color of early violets were devouring the sight he was once paralyzed to. Pink and chapped lips opened slightly, her hair flying off in individual strands around her like a dark, silver-tinted halo.

She looked… wondering. Awed. He looked determinedly down before he thought of any other words (like _inspiring? _Or, maybe, _beautiful?_). Before he saw any other emotions.

Because this time, Ash realized why she looked like that.

Oh _no_.

Though he knew with all his mind (and yes, his heart too) that he should have seen it coming.

Damn _it_.

The thing would only go if one of them died.

Which meant it was now or never.

He chose now.

He double backed. He had let her get a little ahead for a reason. Mind games aside, no matter how many tricks the girl had had for him and had carefully laid out, Ash was resolute in no screw ups this time. He believed in following through with his plan.

Which he did. It was why, in two instants (the first instant was spent on him preparing for physical contact), he had her in an unbreakable chokehold.

Like in the cemetery, he whispered into her ear.

"You're dead now."

* * *

Apart from the compulsory struggle for breath, Mary-Lynette showed no signs of any other physical exertion.

Already, Ash knew she wasn't going to fight him.

So I better make it quick...

He positioned his arms, not easing his grip. But he needn't have worried. She didn't resist in any way.

... Before she changes her mind.

Divulging on that note…

This close, with her hair almost directly under his nose, his elevating level of adrenaline, it was difficult to keep the wall of white noise between him and her. Ash had tried to be strict with himself, kept at bay from her at all costs. He only looked at her face forward about four or five times.

Covering his own mind was the equivalent effort to breathing, snooping around others' was the very same. He had promised to not look into her mind at all. At _all_.

No prodding, no poking, no prying. In regards to the consequences he was sure he would endure if he did.

So that string on the ground had to be stronger than it looked, he thought. If it could peel off a layer of _my_ mind walls.

So he slipped. Once. But it wasn't _his_ fault. It was hers—and her hands' too.

It didn't count to him. Not _really_. Mind linking was never an accident, always more than a coincidence. It had to be intimate to be real.

But the relations between prey and predator were intimate. Their position was now intimate. He had no say in the flood of whispers leaking their way in him.

_Knew it… can't blame him… _and something like a mental laugh here, Ash had no idea what _that _meant. _This time, _he's _the one with the upper hand._

He would have blinked—maybe he did. Ash never did find out.

A vague sense of… falling… here…

And suddenly, Ash wasn't in the shallow forest of a cemetery in a Nevadan night.

* * *

It was dark where he was. Difficult to see for the first seconds. But then his senses kicked in, pupils probably dilating a quarter millimeter for the purpose. He saw tall trees. Oaks? Cedars? He didn't care. What he cared about, and just now found out about, was the slight pressure of a stick to his throat. He considered the possibility of escape; found that his back was to a tree.

It appears, he thought, that I'm in a bit of a predicament.

The stick swirled around him. Ash felt a small wave of resigned acceptance to whatever happened next.

And then the stick dropped.

And a familiar voiced whispered, "You really have changed."

And then he was back.

* * *

Mary-Lynette's gentle breathing was in stark contrast with his harsh ones. Which was a contradiction in itself. She was the one with his hand on her vital windpipe.

And yet, she was the one talking. "What is it?"

And Ash didn't have the concentration to answer.

It was… it was like that wave again, from before. The tip-of-the-tongue feeling he had. When you know there was a secret, and you _know _you know, but you just can't… _remember_. Like there was a wall between you and it. And you just can't break it.

So this is what amnesiacs' truly feel like. Or maybe it's just _me_.

Oh God. He'd drive himself insane with this.

"Ash." She whispered, impatient. Ash got the feeling again. So potent it nearly knocked him out.

But it didn't. And just when he thought he was going to give up, to let it dominate him, he had a sudden sense of… rebellion rush forth.

You know what? The rush told him. I don't have time for this.

So screw it.

She wasn't bargaining for any time, so he should do it _now, _he reasoned. He should just crack her neck and leave. Damn the blood, just damn it. He'd find another snack later. All that mattered was getting _away _from this sleazy little bitc—

Her breaths were still gentle; she must not have felt the sudden determination locked in his muscles. "You're hesitating… again?"

Irritation and habit caused his palm to press harder into her throat, feeling the air escaping her passages. She made a gurgling noise. Ash blinked. But, hands and fingers twitching uncontrollably, the girl just wouldn't make a move to defend herself. Her arms were steeled to her sides. But not that it mattered anyway. She couldn't fight him off.

And if she thought he thought she was being noble, a martyr, she had her death coming.

It just pissed him off.

He steeled his arms. He _forced _himself to steel his arms.

He heard her gasp once.

He saw her hold her neck high, and he heard her start to mutter something.

He warped his wrists and he bit his lip 'till it hurt.

Now or never.

* * *

Then, for some sick and twisted reason, Mare felt Ash's hands relax.

But, she admits, some primal instinct in her was relieved beyond measure. She hadn't died—not yet. Blood that ran cold just seconds ago now circulated through her body like crazy, almost painfully. The heart that stopped for a beat made up double time, and Mare had a hard time convincing herself that no, it was not going to break her ribs. Because it felt like it really, really would.

And to that, she had to be some degree of happy.

But the other degrees were fuming.

"Ash, dammit." She was so angry she actually considered stamping her foot, "Why can't you learn to do as you're _told_—"

Her body went rigid. Premonition or intuition maybe. All at once, muscles retightened around her, but not against her throat or her neck. Around her waist. In the second it took for Mary-Lynette to be in the first stage of shock, she was whisked away to the edge of the forest, where it smoothly transitioned to the cemetery.

And in the second it took her to realize that, Mary-Lynette heard something like a snarl. It sounded to her, she analyzed, trying to prove to herself that she _was_ competent, like what Tiggy used to do in Briar Creek. When he was protecting his favorite cat-scratching tree. Or what the one mummy sounded like in that horror movie, when his gold was being stolen by the greedy archaeologists.

Except this time, with a snarl and a deadly poise no million-dollar worth computerized effects could copy, Mary-Lynette was actually scared.

She didn't speak, but Ash wasn't complaining. It was him who snarled.

"Someone's here."

"I don't' hear—"

"_Shh!"_

Unbearable silence, the stillness of it all. If she was an artist, she'd have no problem capturing this moment in her mind's eye, supplying in her own words how it would look like.

A white knight, with hair the tint of moonshine and dress the mix of class and casual, stooping, bent to protect his lady—this girl, with a color of mousy black-brown hair flinging everywhere and garb as those of peasants. They were both pale—but one from being born a part of the undead and the other because of stress. Around them, the medieval couple, it seemed the mist was becoming as shining and shimmering as the cord that kept both of them at their wits' ends. Even the forest's pallid greens and grays and browns and blacks were changed by it. Moonlit mist surrounded them like a cloud of protection.

At a snail pace uncharacteristic of him, Ash straightened, but his eyes were moving as if in REM sleep.

He looked paranoid. Probably was. He said, "I thought…" and Mare watched him from behind.

He's going to drive himself insane…

I was wrong. I was really wrong.

It'd be better if he didn't remember.

"Ash." Mary-Lynette didn't want this anymore. This game. The cat and mouse chase scenes and the turn-over's. If it would always be like this—with something so much bigger than them standing in between what was supposed to happen (like, right now, _amnesia) _then Mary-Lynette would rather just… end.

No. Not just the relationship. She couldn't do that. The consequences… the _hurt_. Even if it was mutual.

If _she_ ended, Ash would feel free. He could live on with just a distant memory of a human girl who took a summer of his life from him.

It made sense. To her at least.

Oh. If Ash won't kill her, then all these emotions will.

"Ash." She repeated. "Go ahead. Kill me."

He was silent. Hair bobbing to and fro from the rapidity of his search of the woods and trees around them.

Mare thought she understood. "Oh. _Oh_. Okay. Here." She fumbled inside her pockets. "Take it. Take the map and _run. _There are two exits that can lead you to the city. One at the foot of the star and one at the tip. Those are the only ones that can get you back to Vegas. There are two others, but they're only for emergencies and I don't know where they lead and we're in a _Reservation_. The land could stretch for _miles_—"

Ash didn't cut in. He stopped her blabbering with just a look.

Mary-Lynette felt like even more of an idiot then, waving around the map like it was a wand and she was Fairy Godmother.

"I—"

"Go back. To the hospital. Go to sleep."

Mare waved the map again, this time in his face. "What about—?"

"Just _go_."

Another sucked in breath, another moment wasted, one more moment to clear her head.

Ash must have seen something in her stance, or in her eyes. He threw another glance heavenward and mumbled something too fast and quiet for Mare's ears.

Then, addressed to her, he said, "Why don't _you _ever do as you're told?"

"Because I've made it this far."

"I was going to _kill_ you, Mary-Lynette." He whirled._ "Don't you understand that most people would have ran away screaming by now?_"

He was getting mad. Mary-Lynette shrunk a little.

"And that's not the only thing I don't get about you." Ash said, on a roll now. "I don't get how you got here, or even _why_—"

She whispered, "I came for you. But when I got here, you were in a coma. You lost your memories of me."

He heard. "I'm sorry to disappoint you then. But now, now that you've seen and almost got killed by me, you realize you can leave, right?" He wasn't looking at her again.

She shook her head. "I can't."

Ash looked like he expected as much. He chuckled. "Why, may I ask?"

Mary-Lynette wanted to tell him, but instead, she showed him.

Look, she thought, concentrating on the silver cord only soulmates were gifted (cursed?) to see, its right in front of me. I know you can see it too.

He must have gotten some of that, because he looked down too.

"We're connected," she was still whispering—she knew she sounded ridiculous and she also knew he could still so easily hear her, "if I go, I'll be alone again. I'd be back to square one."

"They said," Ash seemed hesitant, "they said that you waited for me. While I was supposed to 'redeem' myself."

All Mare could do was nod.

All Ash could do was curse and mumble more things she couldn't hear.

"I feel like, like I should know what to do," he told her, "but I don't."

Mary-Lynette's voice whispered out, "I do."

"Last time," she continued, "you asked me to kiss you."

"I don't ask, the girls just give—" Reflex reaction on his part.

"But you asked _me_." She closed her eyes, opened them again. Blush was becoming a predominant action on her part. "And now I'm asking _you_."

The silver cord between them gave just a slight ripple.

Ash was blinking.

"Experiment?"

Mary-Lynette nodded. Expecting...

Ash stood up.

Oh my God, Mare thought, he's going for it.

And another: Oh my God, I'm seeing pink again.

She blinked multiple times. It made Ash's movements seem like they were under strobe lights. But no, the pink was here to stay.

He was closer.

The haze felt so fragile to her. Sprits of wild roses and peonies wafted in from somewhere, comingling with the unique and unnamable scent Ash was giving off. Mare wouldn't have been able to move if she wanted to.

She had to say one thing, "You have changed."

He paused, looked shaken, though she could only imagine why.

She looked at him with a smile, but it was neither happy nor sad.

He got close enough, if he so much lifted his pinkie finger, he'd be brushing against her abdomen, and Mary-Lynette fell back to that night in Briar Creek's forests. To that moment when they were trying to get their alignments just right for a kiss…

He mumbled one word, and with that word came with it a rush of breath that crushed onto Mare's waiting, hot-and-cold lips.

"Crazy…"

He was either referring to her or their scenario. She whole-heartedly agreed with both.

She didn't move. This was his decision. All him. This time, it's him deciding for her.

She waited for Ash to lean in a little more… _if _he wanted to lean in a little more.

He did.

Sparks didn't jump at the touch. Instead, it just felt… peaceful. Even though Mare's head and heart were beating like an '808.

And they were kissing.

It started with just a peck. A little brush. Then that turned to another brush and peck, and another, and another. Mary-Lynette felt giddy. Long, calloused fingers appeared, holding her to her place, wrapped around her elbows. But it wasn't like she was going to go anywhere. She didn't want to.

Then she was sighing and he was lightly nipping her lower lip, sending sensations she couldn't even describe down to her very toes. He stopped her next sigh by wrapping her lips into his own again. It was an effective method, if ever Mare's felt one.

Her eyes were glued closed. She had an unnatural fear that, were she to open them, it would all end. She didn't want it to end. Not yet.

At this very moment, with the pink haze and the cord and the sparks finally—_finally —_having its way with them, Mary-Lynette didn't care about anything else.

_She was being drawn._

She didn't care about how the forest around them was getting darker and darker.

She didn't care that she was in that darkening forest with a very deadly lamia—who has already attempted first-degree murder with her. Amazingly, she didn't care. As far as she was concerned, that was the least of her problems.

(e.g.: Somehow, they were on the mossy ground)

She didn't care that when she saw the cord, the thing that shimmered between them, she saw that it was worn and tired.

And she didn't know that they were being watched.

All she knew and cared about at this very moment was the fact that:

a) He kissed her.

And:

b) He was still kissing her.

_She was being drawn in._

Soon, she felt like a river rushing to get back to its home, its territory. Soon, she barely remembered what they were doing in the physical world, because the door to mental heaven was finally being open to Mary-Lynette.

_She was being drawn in Ash. _

To Mary-Lynette, at this very moment, all was right with the world.

* * *

Author's Note:** originally 3,000 words, Ash and Mare's little section grew until I had to bump everyone else. :} I hope you're happy about that. **

**This is the 20****th**** chapter (if you don't count the A/N one) so that means… 20 chaps to get them together. Twenty more for me to wreak some havoc }:} And Lord knows how many more I'll need 'till the Apocalypse. O_O **

**Next will be Kestrel, Jo, the Wild Power I promised, and others. Maybe more Ash/Mare. I don't know. *.* I'm surprised how this lengthened out. Had to rewrite and rewrite because everyone knows I suck at romance. T.T**

**Next update will be quicker, since I typed most of it already, but not today, I'm going to Vegas for Spring Break :} **

**Sorry if a little... not good. **

**Review? Opinions? **

**Thankies ;} **

_-XoXo panini999_


	23. Chapter 21

_**Disclaimer**__** No ownership.**_

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**Chapter 21**

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To Kestrel, at this very moment, all was horribly, horribly wrong with the world.

For one, she was at a motel that reeked of rust and awfully done paintjobs (was that lead paint? Didn't they outlaw that like twenty or so years ago?), and she was sharing this room with her sisters—with her younger sister's boyfriend, a cat, and an argumentative crow.

She tried sharing this with Rowan—the appointed therapist of the family—when a little birdie popped in.

"I'm a raven." He had said, indignantly, proudly, "My feathers are _much _shinier and pointier."

Oh, the misery she could make out of _that_. "Whatever," she had said.

Rowan had _tut tutted, _shook her head, and leaned back in the _only _other chair in the motel room, looking like an actual therapist.

Now, Kestrel was alone in the one room. Jade and Mark downstairs for Mark's human supper, Rowan out to get some donations from a blood bank they passed by on their way here—they were in a middle-classed community in an easily overlooked, yet still quite classy and populated, Portland city. It took them four hours to get here.

They were the longest four hours of Kestrel's life.

She was sure—without using any Powers at all (she was trying to regain her reputation. Rowan's love and loyalty may be something easily granted, but her trust was something else) that everyone was feeling the same way.

Kestrel looked out the terrace window, already missing the rural setting of the barn and the smell of those goats more than she'll ever admit. Outside, there was a potted plant overlooking a cheap, maybe plastic, balcony on the third floor. It was nighttime but it was the city life. Lights were flaring and honks were blaring.

With a little snort, Kestrel realized she was feeling nostalgic.

She'd never smell quite the same scent again. Never see quite the same patterns and species of the forest trees. It's only been a year—even only roughly a year—but Kestrel almost… _liked _it there.

But no more.

Briar Creek was burned—fried and extra-crispy.

And so far, no survivors reported.

Kestrel slumped onto the bed, almost heaving up due to the ratty and dusty smell the comforter gave off, and she buried her face in her hands.

How could one day change so much?

It was at that time that there was a swift tap on the sliding plexiglass. Kestrel widened the gaps between her fingers so she could see.

A boy. Wrinkled-to-the-extreme black polo, tattered-to-the-hems faded blue jeans.

Lonan's eyebrows shot up expectantly when he was sure he caught her eyes. He gestured to the terrace door keeping him from the warmth of the room. It was starting to drizzle outside; the terrace—since they were on the highest floor—didn't have a roof. He knocked again.

All Kestrel did was keep eye contact with him before plummeting down on the bed (she almost wheezed with the dust popping out—but she didn't let him see that) and turning to her side.

"Open your own damn door." She muttered.

* * *

Visions of flames licking up higher and higher. The smell of burnt… _everything_ making its way around with the wind helping the combustion out by spreading it… _everywhere_. Spectrum of colors limited to only variations of red to brown to black to red again. Little bright orange cinders jumping from place to place. Like a dance.

Kestrel remembers sitting there. Just watching it all take place before her eyes.

She knew she couldn't help anything. No point. It was _fire _and vampires can't stand that. She can't get burned.

She remembers thinking: _Damn 'wolves. Smarter than they look, _before she glares to her right and he glances to his left. They share a look, and then he's gone. He went off to do something she can't, and she's left kneeling and holding in sobs and wails while he looks for anything or anyone left from the skies.

She's not left for long, because the others catch up. Rowan first, then Jade almost wholly supporting her human. Rowan drops down, immediately, and reaches weakly for Kestrel. Kestrel shrugs her off and her sister ends up in the same position Lonan was in. Jade lets go of Mark and instead becomes the one who needs the support. She feels her, from the thoughts and feelings in Jade's overriding mental state, bury her head in Mark's chest and Kestrel wishes she could do the same—but not with Mark though. Disgusting. No. She just wants comfort.

Rowan, picking up on her thoughts, reaches over and squeezes her hand. Kestrel is grateful, but not quite… satisfied.

But she hides the thought and holds on to the warm and tapered fingers. They're the only things keeping her in reality right now.

Because when she hears the raven's grating crow in the distance all Kestrel can think of is sorrow and loss.

Kestrel's eyes were closed and her breathing was soft and even, so to all appearance, she was asleep on the dull gold comforter the motel provided.

On the contrary, she was awake. Fully alert.

And she wished it really were just a dream.

* * *

In a shadowed corner of an indoor, exquisitely sculpted, floor-to-ceiling marbled beam, a girl—a stupid one at that—brushes her bangs as she scrunches up her body, carefully. She has to do it carefully. The werewolves—the ones that were guarding the double doors to the Witch Circle—may hear her clothes ruffling.

Jo was trying to think up a plan.

Here, on the 21st floor. In the hall with all the Grecian marble statues and beams (which, for some screwball reason, actually doesn't look half-bad).

She made it this far—she wasn't about to let some mongrels get in the way of her and that door.

She took in an involuntary breath. Deeply regretted it.

Whew. They _stank_. These were real werewolf muscle, like, buff strays. They still reeked of street. And she's been stuck in this position for almost two hours. She's had no choice but to smell their reek.

As if that weren't enough, marble wasn't exactly soft, you know. Jo's back was going to kill her in the morning.

She needed a plan. A burst of inspiration. Like a sign or signal or something. Like what happens to the hero in the movies.

Shaking her head—quietly, of course—Jo dared to let out a small sigh and gasp in a quick inhalation.

To be honest, it wouldn't really have mattered if they saw her—it wouldn't be lethal, as in. They'd see her, she'd see them, and then they'd expect her to walk away. But when she doesn't, they'll get suspicious. Then they'll ask questions she wouldn't be able to answer, and who knows what crap she'll get into then?

These two were bodyguards for a reason, and she had to admit that not all werewolves were complete doof-heads. She was friends with one, or a few. And Jo learned a long time ago that overestimating your opponents was far better than underestimating. That, and that patience was a virtue.

But when another full minute passed by, she was about ready to pop out and yell "Surprise!"

She bit her lip to release some tension.

What the hell were they even guarding anyway? Jo thought. It's not like anyone was even _inside_. The sun went down, like, an hour ago, judging from the shadows in front of her—or lack thereof.

No one came in or out.

They were witches. Not all of them were elegant; _especially _some of the Inner Circle_._ Contrary to popular belief, old age wouldn't surpass them—their race didn't have most of the perks they were said (accused?) to have gotten. Age brought liver malfunction and joint susceptibility to them too. Just like humans.

Point is: Jo would have heard them.

But she didn't. And a seed of doubt and cynicism planted itself.

Was this meeting just a scam? It'd explain why she wasn't invited, at least. It would make perfect sense to.

Maybe Hannah and Thierry decided to skip, and the Circle didn't even bother to come. And Ally—

Hey.

Where is that two-faced 'best friend' anyway? If the Circle and Lord and Lady got the heads up about the break of schedule, wouldn't she too? And the rest of the damn nurse staff.

Oh hell.

Jo almost slapped her forehead. She almost banged it against the beam.

Why didn't she ask Angora when she had the chance? She _must _have known about the meeting rumor going around. Was she invited? If not, then did that mean that the Circle had a thing against stonecharmers or something? 'Cause if they did, there's going to be a hell'uva revolt—

_Wait_, her mind (instincts?) whispered, _listen_.

She did as she was told. If there was one person in the world Jo would ever obey—no questions asked—it was herself.

Wait for it.

Wait.

There.

"—hope there's no inconvenience."

"None at all—"

"—because I fear that there are a few matters we failed to address last night, Lady, and it is all the better that Lord Thierry is here—"

"Then we'll get to it today, Mother."

"So it's agreed. Ursula, dear, please head the meeting without me—"

Voices. Coming around the corner.

Footsteps. A lot of 'em.

Coming her way.

Oh. Oh _crap_.

She scuttled back, squishing herself between the beam and the wall. Her ponytail pressed to her head and the cap she was wearing was tugging some of her hair back almost painfully, and Jo was sure her shirt –both top and under—rode up. She gave off a muffled whimper (hoping it wasn't as loud to the rest of the hall as it was to her) at precisely one-and-a-half seconds before her eyes (the only things she could move) made out the formal dress shoes of Lord Thierry and the purple flats of Lady Hannah. The witches came after them, of course, but Jo wouldn't have been able to name their shoe attire if her very life depended on it. Most of their tastes were… eccentric—if not old-dated and way past Jo's generation to be unable to even pass of as 'retro'.

"—we'll be back before the meeting ends, I assure you."

Her eyes hurt from so much strain, but Jo pushed them a bit farther to their corners to side-glance Ursula; the witch had her hands crossed behind her back and was chiding Mother Cybele. "Be at ease, Cybele. I'll handle it."

Her green satin shawl disappeared from Jo's view as she passed by, then Mother Cybele, Hannah, Thierry, Belfana, and with the trailing Aradia, pushing Creon's wheelchair, and all the others. Sandy brown hair came into view, too.

Looks like Ally made it after all. With the _rest _of the hospital's Seniors and apprentice-graduates. The rest of them, the whole lot—besides her and Angora.

Well, doesn't she feel left out.

"Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again." Mother Cybele was already hurrying down the way they came with Hannah and Thierry, like there was a bomb somewhere nearby. Footsteps of three echoed off the great halls.

Jo heard Ursula clear her throat. Her voice came out shrill anyway.

She said to the were' guards. "I'm afraid we're a little late. Open the doors."

The living-girl-sandwich scoffed at the woman's flippancy. Two hours is hardly liable for "little" Ursula, and would it kill you to say "Hello?"

Grunts. Then the inward swinging open of the heavy wooden doors. Jo tilted her neck up then over to the other side. From her perspective, only Ursula's profile was visible, facing the door. She was poised, and she could have been pretty—the kind of beauty only age and wisdom could give you—if she didn't have such a worked up face. Her thin lips quirked and Jo had to use her imagination to realize that that was her smile.

"Hurry along now." She commanded the rest. And Jo watched as they all followed Ursula through the aperture. 'Till the last student disappeared as the 'wolves (she was right, they _were _buff) fastened the door back into place.

Then she sucked in her gut and squared her shoulders. She was getting out of this.

But first. She stuck her tongue out in thought.

What to do. What to do.

Jo's eyebrows notched.

Well… drastic times always did call for drastic measures.

Yup. She was going to freaking wing it.

She squeezed back through the crack, and her sight was re-introduced to the sparkling sheen of the silver-gray halls. The Tower was a staple in her life, she's been in it more times than she could count, but she doesn't know all of the rooms (because there were a lot of exclusive rooms in this place, some she probably hasn't even heard of), and if she ever goes into uncharted territory in this place without a directory nearby, she was screwed.

Jo checked her outfit, 'cause goshdarnit, if she was going to wing it she was going to wing it good.

Hat adjusted, jeans joisted back to the waist, and her two shirts brought back down to the hip, Jo made her way to her target.

She smiled at the two guards. "Hi."

They didn't say anything. With their size compared to hers, she'd be lucky if they even saw her.

She cleared her throat. "Hey."

Gruff faces faced her down.

First thing that comes to mind is always the best, she thought. First thing.

"Ursula sent me a message." Ah geez, what?

They looked at her with identical blank expressions and she just shrugged.

"If you want, I can call her out here…" Then she made a motion as if to knock on the door.

They shared a look for the longest time. Then one of them sidestepped first—was that a smirk or a grimace?—then the other.

She, on the other hand, smirked.

She was in.

* * *

When Jo planned on crashing the meeting, she planned on sabotaging it—ruining it for everybody else. She imagined their topics to be widely _un_interesting.

But when the guards opened the door for her (and she automatically pulled her hat further down) Jo saw that no one paid heed, regardless of the booming close of the wooden door.

Candles lit in a big circle, dim except for a hanging, gigantic chandelier in the very center. A ledge up top—like what supreme court judges have—for the seating of the Circle, set up in the shape of a crescent, with mats and shrouds of purple-and-gold emblazoned designs draping the edges. The giant chandelier hanging at about the same level, glistening bulbs a purple shade bolder and slightly pinker than the drapes. And at ground level, pews and pews of wood leading back diagonally, shaping itself into the circle shape, purple cushions and other golden luxuries draped over them.

Purple and gold. Witch colors.

And… there.

Hi, Ally.

Ally was standing at what could only be compared to the witness stand in a real courtroom. It was clear that she was going to be the main voice of the, erm, common witch-folk in the room.

Jo almost gave in and yelled and waved at her, just to see the look on her face—didn't get the chance. As soon as the drapes behind the upper ledge gave a swirl, she beelined for the behind of a row. The Circle was in session.

She heard someone clear their throat. Maybe Ursula.

"Unity, my sisters."

A common-crowded, "Unity."

"Sisters—and brothers. What is there to discuss?"

Another cleared throat. This time, Jo recognized it.

Ally's light voice penetrated the room.

"Mother Cybele called this meeting on account of rising problems, um—"

"Madame." Ursula used its French pronunciation. "_Madame_ Ursula."

Jo's tongue pressed against her cheek. Mother Cybele didn't feel right with taking the title of Crone. So she stayed Mother. Aradia wasn't nearly old enough, and since Ursula stepped up to join the elite triumvirate, she was given another title, besides Mother or Maiden or Crone (though Jo—and many others, she was sure—wouldn't have blinked an eye if Mother deemed Ursula old enough to be Crone. She certainly looked it)

Besides, they try to be open, but they can't stray too far from their traditions. If they do, they lose what makes them theelite.

Humans get notions of change. Most embrace them to the fullest. Others embrace them and look down on those who don't. Some others hate them to the max.

Why? Jo didn't know. She doubted anyone really did know.

It's not that it's really _making _new traditionsthey're afraid of. They're afraid of _breaking _true-blue traditions. Why would you aim for a risky goal when you've got something trusty and reliable right within your fingertips?

And to top it off: this is a mix with politics _and_ religion.

Presidents and emperors have to be careful with change. Popes have to be extra careful with change.

Why not the witches' law makers for the new Night World?

"—Madame Ursula, but, we don't know what the problems are."

"Then a quick overview should take care of it. But first"—a loud clap— "attendance, Miss Salud."

"Six of the seven Seniors." A little scribbling on a piece of paper. "Six of the seven apprentices."

"Who are we missing then?"

"Angerona Grifillo and Jolanda Quartz."

Jo glowered at the ground, squinting as she was. Though she knew Ally had reason to say it, she still frowned on the use of her name—which wasn't even _her _name. And Angora would have been mad too. The reason? Angora loved making fun of Jo. Since they buddied up, she's been pretty inflexible about people—especially Jo—calling her Angerona. That old psycho-witch said that it made her sound old. Jo only called her that in formal times—and even then, only sometimes.

"Reason they're not present?"

"Senior Angerona is on duty tonight."

"And her apprentice is not here because..?"

"Because Jo had something else to do." Ally supplied. Her voice was as light as ever, but sounded whip-lash ready for any of their questions. "Something important."

Like what? Jo thought. 'Cause obviously, I wouldn't be here if I did.

Then another thought.

Did Ally just _lie _to the Inner Circle?

Oh my Goddess.

I don't even know her anymore.

Who the Brighid _is _she?

She heard Ursula create a more animal than human-like grunt. "Absence acknowledged. Now. Proceed with the meeting."

"I…" Ally, "actually have no issues to acknowledge Madame…"

"How about everyone else then?" Aradia. Clear as crystal. "This is a conference. Any questions or topics—or anything."

"Did Cybele…" _wheeze_—Poor Man Creon, with a thick accent of some sort—"tell you anything about this meeting, Aradia?"

"Not a word."

"Very well," interrupted Ursula, "we take the Maiden's way. Any curiousness to any affairs?" she asked, and Jo could tell she felt awkward doing so. Ursula was never one to ask, and when she did, she'd do it in that intimidating way of hers. It usually results in no responses. "No? None at all?"

Jo snickered to herself. She made her way to the edge of the pew she was hiding behind, dragging herself and making damn sure she didn't make too much sound. She peeked out.

Ursula, on the verge of getting up from her simple wooden chair and calling the Meeting off, or at least just postponing it. All other heads in the room—including Ally, including Jo—turned towards her, waiting for the action that'll let them be free to call it a night.

All except Aradia.

"Wait."

It was like a thick fog just crashed down on everything and everyone. Any signs or hopes of getting up, walking out, and having a normal Friday night just disintegrated right there.

"Maiden?"

The teenaged witch with the best reputation, following only after the Harmans themselves, looked about. Aradia seemed to stare at everybody with those clear and deep brown eyes of hers. Including Jo.

Oh, _snap_.

"Someone here is hiding."

* * *

Cut. Aim. Zap. Cut. Aim. Zap.

Blue flickers of electricity scintillating at the tips of his fingers, left over from that last zap at that poor tree, Delos flicked his eyes to one side, and then the other. Then he pivoted with all the left over force he could muster and repeated his routine:

Cut. Aim. Zap.

Cut. Aim. Zap.

"Not too much Delos," came a laughing voice behind him, "the gardeners might get upset again."

As she said it, a branch chunk fell from the sky. And termites were already eradicating their homes from where he blew right through the trunk. There were four sizzling circles, all ranging from palm-size to head-size.

Delos gave himself a pat in the back.

"Ah," he said, adjusting his sleeves, smiling because his Maggie was now laughing—with him or at him, didn't really matter. "But I have privileges sweetheart."

He looked back at her, nestled in the shade of a green and leafy tree, burnished brown hair falling in waving wisps past the shoulder line, and eyes a darker color shining with something great and wonderful only _he_ could see. Only him.

She was still laughing, however hard she tried glaring at him. "You _know _that's totally _un_diplomatic of you, right? Not a way a prince should behave at all."

Delos was laughing freely with her now. To an outsider—or to generally anyone else—nothing would have seemed the least bit funny. It was true. Nothing was funny. Even if there was, Delos "Heir to the Kingdom Throne" Redfern wouldn't have gotten the "punchline" or whatever they call it anyway. These people should be grateful he chose to modernize and adapt his… ways from time to time. The light blue sweater he was wearing seemed unnecessarily tight on his torso too. They should be grateful.

_I am_. Maggie's voice didn't surprise him too much. She felt too… _fit in_ with him already.

Right now, Delos's vision blurred slightly compared to the clear image Maggie just sent him. It was himself. In the tight-fitting blue sweater—_May be fit, but it shows your muscles off _great—and the jeans that were so much baggier and looser than the riding pants he had to wear in the old days—_They were tights and you _know _it_—

_What is this leading to? _

The image was whisked away and Delos saw Maggie smiling again. These days, it seemed like they both smiled a _lot_.

_Just telling you how great you look Prince Charming._

He gave her what the teens now call "a roll of the eyes". _Telling me that I used to wear lady pantaloons—_

_Stockings_

—_stockings. That I used to wear stockings isn't exactly feathering my pride._

He walked with hurried grace, noiselessly and as poised as the aristocratic bred in him would. Maggie was holding a book, but she dropped it in an instant and outstretched her arms. Delos happily obliged and helped her up.

"And," Delos continued out loud, his girl in his hands and his cuts from practice already healing as to not get a drop of blood on her, "I'm not a prince anymore Maggie. You know that."

She kissed his cheek chastely. "When this is over, you will be. Thierry gave his word." Delos only chuckled and held her against him.

It was true. He was no longer the Prince of the Kingdom (just Kingdom. Dark Kingdom didn't cut it anymore. The sun was too bright and the used-to-be-slaves-now-free-citizens were too happy). The Kingdom was actually being watched over by Maggie's brother—as a temp. He was the only one both Maggie and Delos trusted.

And some of the slaves were free to go, if they pleased, and were given individual Daybreaker agents to help them find their families. It was the least Delos could do, though he always gave Maggie the credit. She was always giving and sweet and compassionate. No one was surprised or raised any questions.

Maggie was following his thoughts and blushing. "Um. Jeanne could have been in charge."

"Yes. But she frightens me."

She laughed again, and Delos was as happy as he could get.

Then Maggie tipped her chin up, blushing. Shyly offering a kiss.

Delos still didn't know what he did to deserve her.

She shivered in his arms, though, before he could _'make a move'_—they call it that, right?—and he immediately rubbed his thumbs over her exposed elbows.

It was a cold night and her lips were chapped and almost blue because she was wearing only a green-grey jogging suit. Sleeveless. And she was wearing shorts to pair it up. She thought it was going to be warmer, and that they weren't going to stay out so long. They weren't. The only reason why they were was because of—

Maggie was looking frustrated. "Something on your mind?"

Again, he laughed (he couldn't believe how happy he could get with her) and finally bent down to give Maggie what she's asked for, he could already feel her short, cold breaths—

But then someone called out to them.

"Are we interrupting something?"

Delos couldn't help it. He growled. He could feel Maggie wishing she could join him.

"Jezebel."

"Oh, don't say that Delos. You don't want me to make up a nickname for you, do you?"

Delos half-turned, Maggie still cocooned in his arms and quietly seething. She was impatient, his soulmate. Very impudent. But though she desperately wanted Jezebel to shut up while she kissed him senseless (Delos would _never _object to that) Delos knew that the two ladies were very close. What they call 'frien-emies' or some variant of that.

As for the half-human, half-lamia, Jezebel was looking as impudent as Maggie, with only a hint of playfulness. Her hair was whipping and she was wearing a jogging outfit similar to the girl's in Delos's arms.

"You don't. Really, you don't." Morgead came up, and to Delos's surprise, was wearing no leather. Not even his trademark jacket. Just normal clothes—so obviously, he was dragged out of bed.

Maggie sniffled. "So I guess you're out here for the same reasons we are?"

"Rea_son._" Jez said, hair still flailing around her. "Only _one_ reason, Mags."

"Hello Morgead." Delos extended a hand. Morgead looked at him.

"Delos." Morgead reached and clasped their hands together very briefly.

Then Delos turned to a side of the meadow. Morgead glanced over his shoulder. Jezebel said: "We've got company."

Keller seemed to hack her way through the deep shadows with no effort; actually, she seemed to materialize from it. She took one look at the party in front of her and sighed. "I guess it'll be a long night."

Jezebel looked her over curiously, though Delos knew she was expecting the she-cat. Keller's scent was striking, and at times, sickeningly pungent. "Why are you here?"

"Same reason Maggie and Morgead are." Keller held her hand back without looking to catch a lily white palm. Iliana stepped out, as dainty as a flower. "Acting as an escort."

"Hi." She smiled, looking tired and sleepy.

"Hi," said Maggie and Jezebel, Morgead waved shortly and Delos said "Hello."

There was nothing left to be said. Delos stood with every inch of his brute grace while the others did their things. Morgead was complaining to Jez about why she woke him up so hurriedly if they had to wait anyway, Jez was replying with nothing more than a "Uh huh", Keller was shifting and subtly sniffing. Iliana swayed to the melody she was humming and Maggie was rubbing her hands together, trying hard not to fall asleep.

It was when Maggie was already snoozing on his chest did Delos's ears prick to a long awaited sound.

Footsteps. Just one pair.

And then a figure clad in the brightening shadows. It was almost dawn.

Everyone else watched and waited. Easy enough to tell that they were all either too tired or too grumpy to be polite.

Delos slowly half-turned from where he stood, careful to not wake his girl up.

"Hello, Mal."

* * *

Hannah never liked meetings. They were tedious—more so than her Lit class in high school. The subject itself was exciting (Hannah loved books) but the teacher had this drone-like voice that practically temporarily paralyzed all the students in one sentence. On that note, Thierry knew how hard she worked to keep an alert and attentive face when one colleague or another—supernatural or not—kept blabbering about an electricity current on the fritz, or how the mountain rangers and hikers are starting to get suspicious to who and why this big of a section was privately reserved. There was one time when the Tower ran out of concealing juice, and was visible to a regular trail jogger. Hannah had to arrange an appointment with a trusted and pro witch to fix it, like she would a cable guy, and a gentile and benign vampire was sent to conveniently erase the jogger's memory, with no harm done.

So, since her time here, Hannah's life was one important appointment to another. Ruling this safe Haven like a true CEO. This—this little kingdom and all the people in it—was her responsibility. Her project. Her baby. Hers.

Thierry's responsibility was everything else. Everybody else.

They each dealt with different issues, difficult issues. But they get through them, because they have to. Boring or not, Hannah had to have a stiff upper lip and listen to whomever was addressing her as if her life depended on it. Because it—and thousands of others'—may really have.

So. When Mother Cybele suddenly spun on her odd tapered boots and announced that she just remembered something of importance that simply _had _to be discussed, Hannah's first thought was, _Great. Another one._

Because really. She would much rather be in her personal room in the Mansion watching the _History Channel _or _America's Funniest Home Videos_ with her soulmate.

"I see, Mother," Thierry was saying, "but what you're saying… that means that you believe there is something left in Michigan?"

"I," Mother started, slowly and clearly, in rhythm with the clack-clack her shoes made against floor. "I am saying that I'm curious. Aradia has the whole of my trust. If she believes there is something there, there _is_ something there."

Thierry, seeing no room or point to argue or elaborate on, casually flipped open the phone Hannah never sees him without anymore. "I'll deploy agents immediately." Beeps. Numbers being pressed. "Did Aradia say anything else?"

Hannah smiled as Mother Cybele's mouth pursed and pouted in thought. She looked every bit like a stereotypical "Granny Annie".

"Nothing as important as that. She has been private lately. More than usual."

"Is that a problem?" Hannah, finally interested and joining in, asked.

"No." Mother defended. "Just worried is all. She's like a daughter to me. You know I remember when she was born? Oh, I was young then. Young and strong. She looked up to me and Edgith, she did. Bright young lady." She was smiling, Hannah was touched.

But then Mother's features darkened, and Hannah blinked at how heavy the stress seemed to suddenly weigh on her aged body.

"We can't bear to lose her, not now."

"We won't, Mother." Hannah said.

"We can't bear to lose anybody." Thierry stated.

The three talked and walked. They, the most influential of the rebellion Night World Order (the King and Queen of the shapeshifters were costively losing control—so many 'shifters turning rogue).

They discussed, examined, and argued. They compromised.

And they planned.

* * *

When she woke up, Kestrel found that she was staring into two orbs of onyx.

"Good morning Sleeping Ugly."

The first thing she did was groan in a language she didn't know. Who knew how much vulgarity she used then? Because she absolutely, undoubtedly, _hated _mornings.

And then…

Lonan? Was he on the bed?

With _her_?

And he was… dripping wet…

Kestrel puffed, focused. She thought about nailing out this snobby pretty boy's eyes, fought against that instinct because of the pool of blood that'll stain the carpet and would inevitably lead to an official investigation, and asked, "Who let the fowl in?"

"You see, sweetie, that's not an insult when you _are _part of the bird family."

She scoffed. "Shut up." Oh, how she wished to wipe that smirk off that face. "Why are you soaked?"

"Someone didn't open the door."

"It was a drizzle."

"Drops tend to make rivers in a couple hours, sweetums."

"Don't say that."

"What? Sweetie? Or Sweetums?"

"_Both_, Lonan. This isn't the time—"

"How about darling? Or honey? Sugar-poo—"

"I _swear_—"

By this point, Kestrel had already twisted herself to accommodate her new position: leaning over Lonan with a finger straight in between those eyes. His drippy hair looked like slick oil against his otherwise light brown skin, and the part of his shirt she could see out of the covers (they were underneath the _covers_? No—no. He was. She wasn't. Good_)_ was already forming a puddle stain beneath him. He must have been cold to _some_ degree.

But his no-good, stubborn, bemused gaze was straight and true as he watched her.

"You swear about what?" Smirk. "Sweetheart."

"I am going to _rip you_—"

His mouth opened in an 'o'. "In _public_?"

"… what?"

From behind her, Kestrel heard a muffled shift in the carpet. How did she not sense them?

She heard her sister's quiet voice, "I thought she'd be up by now…" and Mark's quiet release of breath.

How wonderful.

They were the entertainment.

Kestrel hissed once and prepared to get up. Blaming everything and anything on him.

The motel phone rang as soon as her bare feet touched the carpet.

She was picking it up by the time it started on a second ring.

Knowing every pair of eyes was on her, Kestrel gave a cautious, "Yes?"

"When the dark breaks, the day wakes."

It was a Daybreaker. One of the ones who helped them escape at Briar Creek.

She didn't say a word. All she did was listen to the stingingly gruff and indifferent tone of the voice from the receiver.

When the man stopped, all she said was "Goodbye."

When she put down the phone and turned around, she saw Lonan looking at her.

"Briar Creek is down for the count."

It was never up for debate. Even idealistic Jade would have, however reluctantly, agreed that Briar Creek couldn't possibly survive that attack. So when Lonan said it, it wasn't a question, it was a fact.

He knows, she thought, he knows what I know.

Somehow, that made her furious.

"_Down for the count_? It's been _shut _down for hours. There's no hope for anybody there." She yelled.

And Lonan, blinking but looking as if he should have expected as much, made calming gestures as he sat up on the bed. "They did all they could. They even gave us a ride here, to keep us safe Kestrel. They tried to put out the fire—"

She exploded, "Who? Those… Portland Daybreakers? They didn't do _crap._" Spite. All her words were messages of spite."Why do you even defend them? You saw how quickly they made us leave. They may as well have told us it was our fault in the first place."

"Kestrel."

Jade's eyes were big and watery. The two pale green irises begging and pleading. "Please stop fighting. Please."

Kestrel buried her face in her hands. Her cheeks felt warm.

"Kestrel?"

The time for moping was up. So she wiped her eyes once and gave in to staring at the ground with a hand placed on her chin.

"What do we do now?" Mark. Poor human boy. He must be missing his parents. One glance at his helpless face would have her spiraling down towards depression again.

But when Kestrel looked up from the ground, the boy's look was one with purpose. Blue eyes the exact color of his sister's sparking with the need to… to do something.

"Kestrel." Jade. Supporting her boyfriend. Pale hair in no comparison for how pale her skin looked. "We need a plan."

Kestrel croaked out, "Rowan—"

"Is waiting for her little sister to grow up." The opening and closing of the rust-colored door. The soft and steady footsteps of her form. She always did have impeccable timing.

Rowan dropped a small box of blood pouches on the bed. Kestrel's big sister looked at her with eyes the color of late autumn leaves. "You started this. You'll get us out."

Lonan cleared his throat and Kestrel immediately turned away. "She's right. So? What's the plan, Chief?"

She said it slowly, "You're the one who got us in this—"

"Not according to your family I'm not."

Don't look at him. Don't. Keep your back straight. Look straight ahead. "You're the one who got our home burned—you _destroyed_ it—"

"Last time I checked, the Others did that."

Kestrel huffed. "But—"

"You want to yell over this _now_?"

She huffed again.

Mark was looking ready to explode himself. And he was persistent. "What do we do?"

_Yes, Kestrel. _Sarcastic and agonizingly amused. _What _do_ we do?_

She ignored his voice in her head. She ignored _him_. And she took a deep breath.

"What we can do."

Kestrel, however hard she tried, however the amount of will she put into _not _looking at him, looked at Lonan and saw the expression—if he was faking it now, she couldn't see through it. She didn't want to—of steeled resolve.

Kestrel hoped she had the same one on.

Lonan caught her scrutinizing him, they shared a look, and with an inestimable twitch of his lip, told her what she was going to say was the right thing.

She faced the others.

"We join the war."

* * *

Winds were whispering all around. The moss was like a massive sponge underneath her, warm and comfortable—if not too… squishy. Actually, it was softer than her bed back home…

When she first opened her eyes, Mary-Lynette was greeted to soft sunshine and a stray, white butterfly batting its wings close to her nose.

She tried to swat at it, a sigh and a groan making its way out her lips.

What came out, however, was a gasp.

She bolted straight up. The butterfly flew its way out of her sight.

Mary-Lynette looked around. She swallowed.

"… Ash?"

* * *

**Author's Note****: And the wheels are set to turn…**

**Reviews, comments, flames, critique, whatever. Feedback is the only drug I can legally get a hold of o-O**

**Gonna try for some more Ash/Mare angst and (or) fluff next chapter, since there's just an ittybitty section for Mare here. And I think it's classified as a cliffie too.**

**xD Evil me. **

'**Till next time you guys. **

_**-XoXo panini999**_


	24. Chapter 22

_**Disclaimer**__** No ownership.**_

* * *

**Chapter 22**

* * *

Mary-Lynette trudged through the mossy graveyard, her heart dropping in beat with her footsteps.

_I can't believe it… _

Her eyes stung—but not from tears. Oh _no_. She wouldn't cry for that jackassnow. She was much, much smarter than that. Mary-Lynette would never waste tears on that boy again. No, no; they were stinging from _rage_.

_That_ _son of a bitch_.

Birds sung in the crisp morning air, the distant murmurs of a content society were not beyond her range of hearing, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. A bright and sunny day awaited the inhabitants of this little (or not so little) dome of protection, but Mary-Lynette's view was bleak. The positive outlook around her just served to bring her spirits way, way down. Her thoughts were a swirling mass of venom that poisoned her very system.

She closed her eyes for a moment as she shuffled down the staircase, as if she were trying to get rid of a migraine.

Flashes of last night bore through her mind.

Ash and her, together. Kissing. Cuddling. The ground had been cold, and Mary-Lynette was at the bottom in their little 'session'—but she hadn't minded, because Ash's weight on hers made her hot all over. Ash knew his tricks well. Nibbles on the neck, on her ears…

She sighed. With a hand pressed to her cheek, Mary-Lynette realized she was getting warm. And most likely pink.

She got to the bottom of the staircase, to the bottom of the cemetery hill. She seemed to pick a direction (_Was the hospital to the right or left?_) and went ahead. If she got lost, it wouldn't matter. She needed the walk anyway. Just like last night, Mary-Lynette was feeling numb; and yet her chest felt like it was doing over-time.

The world, she thought, was such a very, very cruel place.

* * *

"Jo."

"Hm."

"What happened last night?"

Jo barely looked up, "Nothing much."

Senior Angerona (or Angora, as most everyone calls her) made sweeping hand gestures that Jo saw from the corner of her eyes. ""So," she began in that unnamable accent of hers, "why this?"

"Why what?"

"_This_."

"You mean the suitcase?"

Angora's pointed face nodded. "Yes."

Jo dropped a couple books into the compact luggage, looking around for anything else she may need. She took her time answering her mentor.

"I'm leaving for a while."

Again, Angora nodded. "I see that. Exactly where will you be going?"

Jo got up from sitting on the floor. "Do you remember where I last put the jasmine oil, Angora?"

"I told you to keep it next to your other herbs. An organized witch is a productive witch."

"Oh. Yeah." was all she mumbled.

Jo could feel Angora's eyes even as she turned her back to look through one of her ingredient cases—hanging shelves with glass as cover, so you could see inside it. She hoped she looked intensely preoccupied with searching for that one vial—maybe her Senior would just leave the conversation alone.

"Are you going to answer my question, Jo? Or must I ask again?"

No such luck.

"West Coast."

"What's in the West Coast?"

She didn't answer.

She heard the rustling of a robe (Seniors in the Witch Hospital wore robes to distinguish themselves from the others. It wasn't a heavy-duty wizard robe like in the movies. Just like… a tunic draped across the body and over a shoulder. Moroccan-style) which meant her Senior was pacing again. "And you want me to not say a word about this? To anybody? Not even your friends or the other Seniors."

"That would be nice, yeah."

Loud, impatient, slightly annoyed sigh. "You realize how suspicious this is, don't you? You honestly think I'd be letting you go without some information first?"

Jo's eyes read the labels of numerous bottles of all kinds of shapes and sizes while her finger numbered them off. From the reflection on the glass casing, she could now see that Angora's hands were on her hips, her expression one of complete exasperation. "Jo. Answer me." She demanded.

_Cherry stubs… Banana leaves… vanilla tempers… _

Ah, there, jasmine oil.

Jo bit her lips, opened the knob, reached inside, and then said, "There is none, Angora."

"Jasmine oil? Preposterous. I gave you the refill just last week—"

"No. Information." Clutching the vial, she turned to face her mentor.

"I don't understand."

Jo walked to her gray suitcase and gingerly placed the bottle in a secret compartment with other remedies. "That makes two of us."

Comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of Jo filing through her belongings.

Angora was looking at her, she knew. Staring. Waiting.

Slowly, she recounted last night's events.

* * *

"_Someone here is hiding." _

_As soon as those eyes pierced hers, Jo instinctively whipped her head back behind the pew she was against. Her breathing was slightly askew. Aradia's soothing voice seemed to set the whole of Jo's body on ice. She was busted. She was _so _busted. _

"_Who's th—"_

_The doors opened. Lady Hannah, Mother Cybele, and Lord Thierry stepped through. _

"_We must discuss," was all Lord Thierry said, and all noise in the room halted. _

_Thankfully, they were all in such a hurry to get to the middle of the room. They passed Jo's poor, scrunched-up body with no heed._

"_The Lord and Lady have reached the same conclusion I have, my friends." Mother Cybele's mother-like voice carried itself across the great Circle hall with ease, as did her heavy footsteps. "We mustn't sit still any longer. We have to act." _

"_And what matter are we acting upon this time, Mother?" Wheezy. Must have been Creon. "There are many—hundreds—" (wheeze), "at hand."_

"_Why, brother, I am speaking of the War. No other matter carries more weight than war." _

_A blurring of statements:_

"_What of the War, Cybele?"_

"_Aren't we doing enough already? Our casualties are already hundreds too much."_

"_But it hasn't begun yet… we have to wait for the Apocalypse—that's what the Prophecy says!"_

_Soon, the whole room was a giant debate. It stayed like that for a while. _

_Jo got her nerves about her. The doors at the front were so huge; they were still in the process of closing. Now all she had to do was get up, walk a couple yards, and she'd be home-free. _

_She got off her butt. Got on her feet. _

_Now—scurry the hell out of here. _

"_Ms. Quartz."_

_So. Damn. Close._

_Madame Ursula cleared her throat, you could have heard a pin drop from anywhere within the room. "Just where do you think you're going?"_

_An inch from her nose, the heavily decorated doors closed with intimidating finality._

_She gulped. "The bathroom." _

_Heavy silence. Heavy, _heavy _silence. Jo didn't dare turn around._

"_Let her go, Ursula."_

"_But Cybele, she wasn't even in _attendance—"

"_Aradia will escort her out. Won't you Aradia?"_

_No hesitation. "Of course, Mother." _

_So there Jo was, standing as ram-rod straight as she's ever stood. All eyes on her._

_She wouldn't turn around. __When Aradia finally reached her, she threw open the doors like Heaven was on the other side._

* * *

"So?"

Her eyes must have been glazed. Jo had to blink once and then twice just to refocus on the listening Armenian woman in front of her.

"So, what?"

Her Senior narrowed her stone-hard blue eyes. "So what happened next?"

"Nothing. Me and Aradia talked, I came here, and then you called me saying you had to talk to me." She looked around her modest living quarters, and then at the woman sitting on her bed. "Why did you want to talk anyway?"

Angora waved it off, "Later. What did you and the Maiden talk about?"

Jo shrugged.

"Well. Something in the conversation must have convinced you to…" She seemed to struggle for the word.

The teenage witch massaged her temples. "I'm not running away."

Angora sighed, knowing that the subject was touchy—she treaded carefully. "It seems an awful lot like you are."

Jo seemed to make herself busy with looking over her suitcase, until Angora cleared her throat. That was when Jo looked straight into her Senior's eyes, and said: "I just need you to trust me."

She sighed. "You wouldn't have made it this far into apprenticeship if I didn't trust you, Jo, you know that." Angora took a few cautious steps forward, her middle-aged stature and concerned-but-hell-like-she'll-show-it look causing her to resemble a Mother trying to get through to a hard-headed child. "And I'm also sure you know that I can't stop you."

_Yes. Because you believe in freedom. Free choice. _

_Aradia told me you wouldn't interfere. _

"I wouldn't blame you if you cancelled it, Angora," and she couldn't believe her own words, but Jo went on. "My apprenticeship, I mean. There are a lot of junior stonecharmers here that would _gladly _take my place."

"I'm sure I wouldn't have a choice when the Circle realizes you're gone." Her Senior sounded regretful, which made Jo feel a short sense of pride, "But. You know how I hate to leave an assignment half-finished. You're not leaving tonight are you?"

Glancing at the clock, Jo wondered how much time she really had. "I don't know."

And then, it was as if an over-inflated balloon had just popped. Her Senior jumped from her bed, the pin-straight, graying hair that reached all the way to her back not messing one bit. "Then come with me, and quick. We have work to do."

* * *

"In any case, I _know _that I was as right as rain to 'hire' that 'stalker'." Cue devilish smirk. "_Very _right."

"I'm sure it was a brilliant choice, Angora." Jo played along, smiling at her Senior. They were both trying to pretend that talk in her room never happened, it seemed. This was like any of the other jobs they were assigned to. Senior and apprentice, working and discussing for the good of the patients.

And in the dim light, Angora smiled back. "Brilliant as a polished diamond. With any luck, some brilliance may rub off on you."

Jo laughed, "We'll see."

She looked around at where they were. At the tall candles and the brick walls and the low arches leading to semi-dark, wholly-foreboding halls. Throw in a couple shelves and desks and pantries of books as thick as a baby's head and some suspicious looking trinkets, and you've got a witch's _Barbie _dream house.

In reality, though, it was just a basement.

The pair had walked through the halls from her room to the window of Perse. Angora's incantation said, and a slit of dark, open space appeared in front of the shrine. That open space (when looked at _very _closely) was actually the start of the staircase that led to the Witches' version of a storage room. A storage room, a library, and an emergency retreat for the _most urgent _cases.

Now, they were both walking through a darkened archway to the right to arrive in a room the shape of a circle. This generally small room, with miniature balls of gas lighting it up all around, was visibly wall-less. Bookcase after bookcase covered the whole shape from floor to ceiling, and besides them, the only furniture in the room was some sort of podium in the middle. The smell of rust and mildew and everything ancient permeated the air.

This must have been the library.

She was ogling the feel of the room—the atmosphere of pure, untainted history, when Jo heard the most awful thing.

"Close your jaw, child, you have no idea how many insects are flying about."

Oh… _no_. Oh Goddess, please—_please_ no.

Her eyes fixated on a figure in the corner of the room. How she missed her when she entered, Jo will never know.

"What is _she _doing here?"

Angora gave her a warning side-glance and whispered, "Respect your elders Jo."

"Elders, Angora, not dinosaurs." Jo choked quietly back.

"Hush," she chided, but she couldn't hide the laughter lighting her sapphire-blue eyes, "she's only two or three decades older than me."

Jo choked, this time loudly.

"You're about eight or seven decades off." Jo mumbled, and, though Angora would deny it, she knew she snickered at that for quite some time.

Meanwhile, Nurse Petronella was done bending down at one of the book cases. How she could even operate those toothpick-sized and brittle legs of hers, Jo may never know.

But then she stood up, and what particularly stupefied the young witch was that the Senior Nurse that looked old enough to have a pet mammoth, and who was just thought of as having 'brittle legs', was effortlessly carrying a book thrice her arm-width. A book that was most likely heavier than herself.

"I told you to _close your jaw_," she reprimanded Jo, walking towards the traditional, wooden book-holder that sat in the middle of the room. "I had to wipe away moth balls off this cover. Some of those might have been eggs. If the Goddess answers my prayers, and if you _don't shut your mouth soon, _you might choke on a new-born."

Jo actually had to bring a hand up to close her jaw. Then she curled her lip in a little sneer. "You'd like that wouldn't you."

Petronella merely fired a glare at her.

Angora was quick to intervene. "What book is that, Petty?" Unlike Jo, Petronella had no problem whatsoever with Angora calling her Petty.

"A very old one, Angerona. A very, very old one."

Angora immediately glanced a warning at Jo, making sure she wasn't going to use that as a springboard to dive into another insulting-exchange.

But she needn't have worried. Jo was in her work mojo now. She was hyped. Because, besides the shriveled old prune that was holding the book, she loved old stuff.

"Let me see—"

"No." The book was almost religiously set on the stand. Petronella, not taking her dark eyes off Jo for one second, flipped the bulky cover open. A generous amount of dust puffed out in the process.

"But—"

"The answer is _no_. This book isn't a play-toy. You're lucky you're even here." She sniped. To Angora, she ordered, "Angerona, control your lackey."

"I'm not a _lackey. _I'm official. Tell her Angora—"

"Address your Senior properly!" Petronella seethed. "I swear Angerona, how you even saw any potential in this one…"

Jo flushed with anger. "I'm fully qualified as an apprentice, _Nurse Petronella_. Ask anybody."

The hag stuck out her glare for a while longer, before hastily—but carefully—flipping the pages. Obviously looking for something specific.

A little patch of silence here. And then,

"Can I at least know one thing?"

Petronella shook her head, but Jo was already biting the bullet. "What does this have to do with my case?"

"Nothing." Petronella said. "Everything." Angora muttered.

Then a flash of remembrance. "And where's the test results you promised? I thought we were here so you could tell me about what happened to Ash?" This time, directed to her Senior.

"You said only one thing." Petronella pointed out. "I'll get to that later." Angora promised.

Jo sucked in any more questions, settling for just talking.

"That book seems awfully old…" she cooed.

"This book may very well be the first book _ever_ written by witch kind. Maybe the most powerful."

And this is supposed to discourage me…

"Can I see it now?"

"You'll have to wait 'till I die, child."

Jo shrugged. "I can wait five minutes."

"I've outlived all my cats. I can outlive you."

"Unity, ladies." Angora quietly tittered. Clearly, she was enjoying this.

Jo glowered, freshly annoyed. "If I can't see it, why am I even here?" She turned to Angora, because the question was obviously slated towards her. But then she did a full 360, realizing that Angora had moved and was already inching towards Petronella and her book.

She whined, "Angora…"

Angora looked at her sideways, then to Petronella, and then back. Finally, she said, "It's _"The Book of Le Fey"_, Jo. Have you heard of it?"

Jo vehemently jerked her head in a "No."

"_Tsk_, _tsk_, child. The first records of a spellbook and witch-guide ever written. Do you not know the most famous witch in history? The most famous enchantress in the world?" Petronella didn't look up from the book, her fingers busily bustling over its pages.

Again, Jo shook her head.

"Morgana Le Fey, Ms. Quartz," Petronella said, "We're looking through the life and times of none other than Morgana Le Fey. To help you with your homework."

* * *

"Love is a known factor—no, a _needed _factor to perform any powerful spell. Without love, or any form of raw emotion, a spell wouldn't have essence. It'd just be a spell."

Listening to Petronella spat on and on about love was strange enough. What was stranger was the fact that Jo had no idea where this conversation was headed.

She was seated on the floor (no furniture, remember?) and the ground was literally… ground. Some sort of orangey-red, clay-or-dirt-like substance. Whether clay or dirt, it was easily marked. So Jo was absentmindedly doodling with her fingertips while the other two in the room spoke without so much as glancing at her stooped and brooding form.

"It's not a force to be reckoned with, love. Ah, even the best can fall into it. And when you fall, you can't go back. It's like a spell of its own, in a way—"

"Petty." Looking up, Jo saw that Angora was too getting impatient. She said, "Tell her. About the spell."

The decrepit woman puffed through her nose. The little hag hated interruptions. But she, nonetheless, reluctantly shuffled to face the teenager. "The most remembered and most powerful spell ever performed by Morgana was the spell she used on Merlin— and you know _him, _don't you?"

Well duh. "Well duh." Jo said. "Wasn't he that magician who helped that King Arthur?"

Angora put a wary hand on the book. "Yes. That one."

"What about him?"

"Morgana bewitched him."

"… bewitched?"

"It was in self-defense. He was clingy, power-greedy, and a pervert. She did what any woman would have done—" Petronella was all too eager to defend.

Jo cocked her head. "What? You mean Morgana put him to sleep? I thought it was that other Lady…"

"The Lady of the Lake. Some books—a lot of them, actually, say she did. In reality though, she and Morgana were the same person. Mythology embellishes a lot of history." Angora explained.

"Yes. A permanent sleep. She wanted to have him gone." Petronella said.

"But… it wasn't permanent."

"No."

"What happened then?" Jo asked. "If she was so powerful, how could she mess up?"

Petronella answered, "Power doesn't equal invincibility, child, remember that."

Angora answered the question, "No one really knows. All the books say that it was on purpose, that the sleep was _supposed_ to last only a couple thousand years. But the spell she used was strictly permanent. It even says her intentions here, in her journal."

Jo shook her head.

"So," she asked, because as interesting as this was, she was getting impatient, "what does this have to do with anything?"

"When Merlin was said to be 're-awakened'," Petronella moved aside as Angora promenaded towards the book stand, trailing a finger oh-so delicately down the pages of the book when she reached it, "Right… here. She wrote about the time, when she saw him again…

"'_When the man of old—the only blemish on my repute—found his way back into my long life, I found that he recalled naught of what happened eons ago. I know it was him, for his gait was him, his face him, his spirit him, and his whole fundamental nature his own. He was the man I remember before all my troubles. It was he, and all the memories so cleanly locked away seemed to haunt me again. But the wizard (for he still claimed his powers) didn't remember a thing about our affair. The sorcerer—the only skill equal to my own, the one I had damned, the one who swore eternal love—has forgotten me.'_"

Jo waited.

The two Seniors simply looked at her.

Finally, she asked, "And..?"

Angora stared intently at her, willing her to comprehend. "… sound familiar?"

"What?"

Again, just two pairs of eyes. One blank, the other urging.

Slow and stumbling, she said, "You…" Jo blinked to clear her thoughts. "You think what happened to Merlin is what happened to Ash?"

"It's the only records of anything that resembles your case."

She thought it over, cast her eyes upward.

"All right. It's a lead. I'll take it." Then she brought her eyes down. Brown and purple, they both stared with something closer to excitement than thoughtfulness. "But does it say how to cure it?" _And fast?_

That last line, she knew, would make it to Angora's head without her having to say it.

Angora cleared her throat. "There is no cure."

Weight. Heavy lead-weight on Jo's hopes.

"There is… no cure?"

Angora cleared her throat again. "It says in this that Morgana didn't do anything. She thought he was better off."

He probably _was_.

"That can't be it though," Jo objected, "that can't _really _be it."

"Sorry, child," though Petronella looked nowhere _near_ sorry, "that's it."

"Are you serious?" Jo pulled at tangles in her hair. She pulled and pulled at her bangs. "No _cure_?"

"It's a pre-mature diagnosis, Jo. A trial."

"I can't believe you called me in for this, Angora. You know how much time—"

"I called you in for my experiment report." Angora put out.

Jo took a deep breath. "Fine. Let's have it. And fast."

Angora's stone-blue eyes narrowed. "I don't ask for as much respect from you as I should."

Jo turned away.

"My experiment," and here Angora was clearing her throat to make her voice sound lighter, "was a success."

Jo, in turn, cleared her throat to make her voice sound lighter. "What was your experiment, by the way?"

"The power of love."

She said it with such seriousness. Jo looked up.

"I'm sorry. What?"

Though her eyes still held their sapphire glaze, Angora's lips tugged up. "You heard me right. The power of love. It prevailed—like always. You see," she stepped off the podium and onto the dusty ground, the trail of her robe casting a miniature cloud of debris as she walked. "Ever since I joined Circle Daybreak, I have been wondering to myself exactly _what _kind of power the soulmate cord has. How much it honed, what good it was—don't take me for a skeptic, Jo, I _have _heard the stories and seen the miracles, I did—_do_ believe in its power."

Having reached the sat witch, Angora bent down to offer a hand. Jo took it. She got up, absently dusted herself, and asked, "This experiment was about the soulmate principle?"

Angora nodded. "I used psychoanalysis Jo. Putting people under certain conditions, observing—using the outcome to diagnose. All we had to do was get the two of them together in a place where we could watch without being noticed."

Jo blinked. "I don't get it." Then she threw her hands up in exasperation. "I mean, I know what psychoanalysis is, but I don't get why—or how—you did it. Isn't Ash in lockdown?"

"Not last night he wasn't." Angora muttered, looking slightly ashamed. "And the how part was easy. I asked the nursing staff to give Ash a, uh, _window _of opportunity to… escape his confinements. Mary-Lynette was a harder case to crack…"

"In the end, we had to settle for a nervous breakdown." Petronella said. "Mary-Lynette was given the message that her town was turned to ash. Burnt down. By the Others. After that, we just had to wait and see where they'd end up. Because the cord was strong enough to bring them together in a single place…"

Petronella kept talking. But Jo was stunned to deafness.

Process the information… one word at a time… _process_.

"... and in the end, all Angerona and I had to do was watch as it happened through one of those portable video recorders—"

"You told her… _what_?"

Petronella, off-guard, "What?"

"Her town… in Oregon?" Jo stuttered, "What… what was _that_?"

Angora, understanding, "It was the only news that would have given us the appropriate response, Jo. It was necessary."

"And cold-hearted. Nurse Petronella," because it was obvious _she _was the one who suggested it. Angora wouldn't have gone so far, "you can't just make these lies up as you go—"

"T'wasn't a lie, child." The crackled voice grew sour and deep. "The town really did burn to the ground."

Jo stopped. "But they didn't announce it…"

"They can't throw a ceremony for every slaughtered town or city in the world. There's hardly enough time. We're at _war_."

Well there's no appropriate response to _that_.

"It was a success in any case, Jo." Angora's breezy voice put in. "The soulmate priniciple? It is strong enough. Strong enough to get through his memory impairment, at least for a little while."

Now Jo was getting really lost. If Angora kept switching topics, back and forth…

"Uh, how do you know?"

Petronella scuttled over, and the deep and used voice that couldn't possibly be coming from her petite body rang out. "Ash and his sweetheart were used as gerbils, child."

"Gerbils?" Jo's eyes narrowed. "You used Mary-Lynette?"

"Ash was with her," said Angora.

"But… that's a blind risk. If they were alone…" Jo thought out loud, the fact of it just settling in. "He could have escaped, he could have _killed_ her. She's only _human_—"

"She had protection, Jo. You know I would not have arranged it if I wasn't sure of the girl's safety."

Jo sighed through her nose. "Of course, Angora. Who'd you get for surveillance?"

If Jo was lost before, after Angora's answer, she was completely muddled. Stupefied.

"Christy Ann. The Redfern? Delilah's twin."

_(Processing…) _

And then…

Ho-_ly _crap.

She was turning in a flash.

"Jo—?"

"Where does that ingrate think she's going?"

Over her shoulder, already in the main room, Jo yelled:

"Not a brilliant choice Angora. Seriously—_not _brilliant."

* * *

The girl with olive eyes and metallic black curls showed up just when Mary-Lynette knew for a fact she was lost.

"Need a point in the right direction sweetie?" Her smile was too sugary, but Mary-Lynette couldn't complain.

She had been walking for the best of an hour. Somewhere in those twists of the sidewalk she must have taken a wrong turn, or she just chose the wrong direction in the first place. Either way, Mary-Lynette didn't see the steeple of the hospital anywhere nearby and the area about her was greatly unfamiliar.

"Um… yeah. Yes please." She gave a rueful look. "Sorry."

The girl waved it off elegantly. She was beautiful, exotically so. "Don't apologize, hun. Everyone gets lost once in a while."

Mary-Lynette laughed softly and surreptitiously rubbed her eyes. She hoped the girl wouldn't notice how red they were. "Yeah, yeah I guess so."

"Where are you headed?"

"The hospital? The one with witches."

"Honey, every hospital has witches." Without another word, the girl began walking in the other direction, beckoning Mary-Lynette to follow her. "It's this way."

And so she followed, staying a couple steps behind. Mary-Lynette focused on her walking.

"Are you doing okay?"

"Hm?"—Why no, no I'm not—"Yes. Why do you ask?"

The girl wasn't turning back to talk to her, so Mare had no idea what her expression was like. "Oh, it's nothing. But… you are Mary-Lynette Carter right?"

She was _not _used to this kind of attention. How does word even spread in a place this big? "Uh huh."

"Oh so you are her. I'm sorry, but I just heard what happened to your town... Briar Rose?"

"Creek." Mare felt like an automaton. The words spilled out like bile. "It's—was Briar Creek."

"I'm sorry, but if it helps you to know, it could have been a lot worse. A fire in the night is better than a daylight massacre."

Mary-Lynette blinked. "Uhm... gee. Thanks."

"And about your soulmate too, I'm sorry about that."

_I don't need your pity._

"Thanks," she repeated.

This time, the girl did look back and grinned, clearly thinking she won Mare's approval. She stuck out a perfectly manicured and perfectly tapered hand. "I'm Christy Ann Redfern by the way."

Redferns seemed to be everywhere…

Mare didn't take her hand. No matter how helpful this girl—_vampire_—was being, something was off.

When she didn't withdraw her hand, Mary-Lynette blamed the weather. Her arms were still hugging her chest. "It's cold. You understand."

"Oh," Christy Ann said, "of course."

The silence may have been awkward, but Mare didn't mind. Her thoughts were occupying her enough.

So Briar Creek burning… that was _real_.

A shiver ran through her.

She hoped her family was okay. She hoped there'd be help soon.

She hoped hoping was enough.

The sun was high in the air, must have been noon. Not a cloud in sight. Looking around, Mare wished she could look at the scenery, smile, and say "Wow, this is beautiful." Under different circumstances, she was sure she would have.

But her issues were painting the day gray. Everything was going wrong.

Prickling in her eyes…

_Last night, everything seemed almost alright. _

She was too busy blinking away the prickling feeling. Mary-Lynette bumped into Christy Ann, and a poised, stiff vampire was very startling to bump into. She was almost like a statue.

Then that was when Mare heard the footsteps. Running footsteps.

Then she saw the girl. The witch girl from the hospital. She seemed almost as startled to see the two girls, because she abruptly stopped. Her eyes—yes, Mare remembered her different colored eyes, if only she remembered her _name_—scanned her, then Christy Ann, and then the whole scene, like she was expecting to find something else. Or someone else.

* * *

Breathing almost hard, Jo realized who was missing, "Ash."

Behind Christy Ann, Mary-Lynette shivered.

Jo gave her a sympathetic look, but hey. At least she was okay. Two Redferns in twenty-four hours could be pretty fatal. Especially when one was a bitch.

Christy blinked. "What about him?" Oh great. She was acting coy.

"Where is he?"

"Oh."

Yeah. Oh.

Finally, "He's back at the hospital. I didn't talk to him or anything. If he tried an escape, I wouldn't have stopped him."

Jo coughed a little, trying to steady her breath. She was in such a hurry—and running was healthy, but it still did its toll.

"How do you know he's at the hospital?" She asked suspiciously.

She held up her cell phone. "Ally called. He was staring at the wall when she passed by his room."

Good enough. "All right then. Come on, Mare—"

Before Mare could move, however, Christy casually said: "Pity you weren't there at the meeting."

Jo was startled, Mary-Lynette stopped mid-step and looked confusingly from one girl to another.

I should go. Mary-Lynette needs to go back to the hospital...

"What do you know about the meeting?" Jo asked.

"Oh, well, I wasn't invited of course, 'cause I'm not one of _you, _but I got all I needed from Ally." Jo couldn't restrain her flinch. She knew she forgot something… she forgot listen in on their secret meetings. Christy Ann noticed her reaction, and she smiled. "The Circ. had this huge debate about the rebelling Midnight Witches. But you should know all about that, right? I mean, you are close to the leader, aren't you…

"They have a prisoner of war too you know, after the cleanup in Boston they found a minion of _hers_." A look that said _I know you know who I'm talking about._

"They're questioning her right now, and actually, she's blaming a scumbag called Ash for her capture." A sharp little inhalation. A look at Mary-Lynette and Jo saw that she was staring intently at the ground. "Funny how things seem to tie themselves together." Christy laughed.

When neither Jo nor Mare made a try at replying, Christy Ann kept on laughing.

"It was a very entertaining night, Jo, I'm sorry you missed it."

Clenched fists, locked jaw. You didn't have to be a vampire to see how affected Jo was.

_Don't ask. Do not ask. _

"What was… the debate about?"

It took a while for her to stop laughing that incessant, tinkling _snort_ of hers.

"Whether or not The Midnighters had a spy stationed here, of course. You have heard about the leaked information haven't you? The Lord and Lady are calling treason, that's the only way they could get that kind of info. Suspicions were made last night." Christy Ann's back was turned to Mary-Lynette. The girl didn't see the devilish, knowing smile the vampire gave. "Heavy suspicions."

Jo bristled. "What's that supposed to mean."

"Oh." Christy Ann smirked. "I think you know."

Reluctantly, Jo broke her stare-off with the lamia. She had matters to attend to.

"Mary-Lynette, let's go."

She didn't need to be told twice.

Not trusting herself to look right back into those mischievous green eyes and still keep control of her fists, Jo turned her back. "Thanks for watching her Christy, we'll be going now."

She smiled, cocked her head like it was all fine. "My pleasure."

Then the two left.

* * *

It was a while before the conversation started, but when it did, Jo had to give Mare props for her ice-breaker.

"That girl was unpleasantly… bitchy."

Now _that _lightened up the mood. "Just get to know her more, Mare, and I guarantee you—you won't regret that statement."

And before they knew it, the two girls were walking in a much, much more comfortable silence.

_Good_. Jo thought. _I need this._

Mary-Lynette was thinking the same thing.

Neither girl knew how right she was about that at the moment. Jo was trying to keep herself away from everything that had to be done. Mare was trying to keep herself away from everything that had been done. Jo hadn't learned yet how easy things can go flipside—how easy a moment of happiness could very well lead into a day of tragedy. Mary-Lynette knew exactly that—and yet even she couldn't be prepared for the coming events.

No one would be.

* * *

**Author's Note: **(Yes, some accounts say Morgana Le Fay is the same person as Nimue, the Lady of the Lake)

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_-XoXo panini999_


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